Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in anxiety and depressive disorders: Influence of recent and/or traumatic life events.

INTRODUCTION: A high prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs) in anxiety-depressive disorders ranging from 30 to 67% has been described. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the presence and persistence of OCSs in an outpatient sample of subjects with anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as its relationship with recent life events (RLEs) and/or traumatic experiences (TEs). METHOD: We conducted a prospective, observational, analytical study of 200 subjects with DSM-5 diagnoses of anxiety and/or depression. Participants were included by consecutive sampling and were evaluated at baseline and after 6-12 months (mean 8.5 months) of follow-up. The severity of the symptoms was assessed through the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HARS) and Hamilton Scale for the evaluation of depression (HRSD-17), and comorbidity was assessed through the International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The Revised Inventory of Obsessions and Compulsions (OCI-R), the Recent Vital Changes Questionnaire (CVSV), and the Diagnostic Scale for Post-Traumatic Stress (PDS) were also administered. RESULTS: 54% of the sample presented OCSs, and 30.5% presented one or more TEs throughout life. At the baseline visit, the presence of OCSs was associated with the severity of depressive symptoms (p=0.028), the presence of TEs (p<0.01), symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (p<0.01) and the number of RLEs (p<0.01). Response rate at follow-up was 38%, and persistence of OCSs was found in 60.5% of patients, independent of depressive or anxious symptoms, but was associated with the number of RLEs (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The presence of OCSs in patients with anxiety and depressive disorders is frequent and persistent. Anxious-depressive patients with a history of TEs and RLEs had higher OCS levels. These findings highlight the importance of early detection and the use of therapeutic strategies focused on resilience to stress and trauma.

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in anxiety and depressive disorders: Influence of recent and/or traumatic life events / Síntomas obsesivo-compulsivos en los trastornos depresivos y de ansiedad: la influencia de eventos recientes y/o experiencias traumáticas

Introduction A high prevalence of obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCSs) in anxiety-depressive disorders ranging from 30 to 67% has been described. Objective This study aims to assess the presence and persistence of OCSs in an outpatient sample of subjects with anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as its relationship with recent life events (RLEs) and/or traumatic experiences (TEs). Method We conducted a prospective, observational, analytical study of 200 subjects with DSM-5 diagnoses of anxiety and/or depression. Participants were included by consecutive sampling and were evaluated at baseline and after 6–12 months (mean 8.5 months) of follow-up. The severity of the symptoms was assessed through the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HARS) and Hamilton Scale for the evaluation of depression (HRSD-17), and comorbidity was assessed through the International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The Revised Inventory of Obsessions and Compulsions (OCI-R), the Recent Vital Changes Questionnaire (CVSV), and the Diagnostic Scale for Post-Traumatic Stress (PDS) were also administered. Results 54% of the sample presented OCSs, and 30.5% presented one or more TEs throughout life. At the baseline visit, the presence of OCSs was associated with the severity of depressive symptoms (p=0.028), the presence of TEs (p<0.01), symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (p<0.01) and the number of RLEs (p<0.01). Response rate at follow-up was 38%, and persistence of OCSs was found in 60.5% of patients, independent of depressive or anxious symptoms, but was associated with the number of RLEs (p<0.01). Conclusion The presence of OCSs in patients with anxiety and depressive disorders is frequent and persistent. Anxious-depressive patients with a history of TEs and RLEs had higher OCS levels. These findings highlight the importance of early detection and the use of therapeutic strategies focused on resilience to stress and trauma. (AU)

Introducción Se ha descrito una alta prevalencia de síntomas obsesivo-compulsivos (SOC) en los trastornos de ansiedad-depresivos que van desde el 30 al 67%. Objetivo Este estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la presencia y persistencia de SOC en una muestra ambulatoria de sujetos con trastornos de ansiedad y depresión, así como su relación con eventos de la vida recientes (EVR) y/o experiencias traumáticas (ET). Método Se llevó a cabo un estudio prospectivo, observacional y analítico de 200 sujetos con diagnósticos de ansiedad y/o depresión, según el manual diagnóstico y estadístico de los trastornos mentales, quinta edición (DSM-5). Los participantes fueron incluidos mediante muestreo consecutivo y evaluados al inicio del estudio y después de seis a 12 meses (media 8,5 meses) de seguimiento. La gravedad de los síntomas se evaluó mediante la escala Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HARS) y Hamilton depression rating scale (HRSD-17), y la comorbilidad a través del mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI). También, se administró el inventario revisado de obsesiones y compulsiones (OCI-R), el cuestionario de cambios vitales recientes (CVSV) y la escala de diagnóstico de estrés postraumático (PDS). Resultados El 54% de la muestra presentó SOC y el 30,5% mostró uno o más ET a lo largo de la vida. En la visita basal, la presencia de SOC se asoció con la gravedad de los síntomas depresivos (p = 0,028), la presencia de ET (p < 0,01), los síntomas de trastorno de estrés postraumático (p < 0,01) y el número de EVR (p < 0,01). La tasa de respuesta en el seguimiento fue del 38% y la persistencia de los SOC se encontró en el 60,5% de los pacientes, independientemente de los síntomas depresivos o ansiosos, aunque asociada al número de EVR (p < 0,01). Conclusiones La presencia de SOC en pacientes con trastornos de ansiedad y depresión es frecuente y persistente. ... (AU)

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in anxiety and depressive disorders: Influence of recent and/or traumatic life events.

INTRODUCTION: A high prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs) in anxiety-depressive disorders ranging from 30 to 67% has been described. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the presence and persistence of OCSs in an outpatient sample of subjects with anxiety and depressive disorders, as well as its relationship with recent life events (RLEs) and/or traumatic experiences (TEs). METHOD: We conducted a prospective, observational, analytical study of 200 subjects with DSM-5 diagnoses of anxiety and/or depression. Participants were included by consecutive sampling and were evaluated at baseline and after 6-12 months (mean 8.5 months) of follow-up. The severity of the symptoms was assessed through the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HARS) and Hamilton Scale for the evaluation of depression (HRSD-17), and comorbidity was assessed through the International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The Revised Inventory of Obsessions and Compulsions (OCI-R), the Recent Vital Changes Questionnaire (CVSV), and the Diagnostic Scale for Post-Traumatic Stress (PDS) were also administered. RESULTS: 54% of the sample presented OCSs, and 30.5% presented one or more TEs throughout life. At the baseline visit, the presence of OCSs was associated with the severity of depressive symptoms (p=0.028), the presence of TEs (p<0.01), symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (p<0.01) and the number of RLEs (p<0.01). Response rate at follow-up was 38%, and persistence of OCSs was found in 60.5% of patients, independent of depressive or anxious symptoms, but was associated with the number of RLEs (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The presence of OCSs in patients with anxiety and depressive disorders is frequent and persistent. Anxious-depressive patients with a history of TEs and RLEs had higher OCS levels. These findings highlight the importance of early detection and the use of therapeutic strategies focused on resilience to stress and trauma.

Linkages among life-history components through time: Carryover effects on the demography of a short-lived polycarpic plant.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Current reproduction in polycarpic plants may be affected by a wide variety of factors, including carryover or "historical" effects derived from environments experienced early in life and from previous investments in organ preformation or other life functions, such as growth or reproduction. Historical effects as determinants of plant reproductive success in a specific season have received considerably less attention than events during the current reproductive episode, especially for short-lived plants. • METHODS: We used structural equation modeling to assess direct and indirect relations between past reproduction and both subsequent reproduction and growth in Helianthemum squamatum, a short-lived polycarpic plant. Additionally, we explored the effects of current reproduction on future survival (binomial variable) by using logistic regression. • KEY RESULTS: Historical effects derived from previous growth positively affected current reproduction, suggesting the existence of a reproductive hierarchy in the population, in which some individuals are consistently better growers and seeders. The lack of effects of current reproduction on future reproduction, together with the existence of a negative effect on future survival, suggests that to invest maximally in reproduction at the expense of a short life span may be the optimal strategy for H. squamatum, a species inhabiting very unpredictable ecosystems. • CONCLUSIONS: Historical effects derived from past investments in growth or reproduction may have important consequences for current plant performance and may play an essential role in shaping life histories.

Survival costs of reproduction in a short-lived perennial plant: Live hard, die young.

According to life-history theory, reproductive investments involve costs in terms of growth, future fecundity, and/or survival. However, studies to date have often failed to detect costs of reproduction, with survival costs among the less documented. We investigated the cost of reproduction in Helianthemum squamatum (Cistaceae), a short-lived perennial of semiarid Mediterranean environments. After experimental flower removal, we evaluated next season's growth, reproduction, and survival of the plants. We also monitored an indicator of plant physiological status (F(v)/F(m)) and leaf nutrient concentration at key phenological stages during reproduction. Survival rate in deblossomed plants was significantly higher than in control plants. As far as we know, this is the first experimental evidence of a survival cost of reproduction in a perennial plant. In contrast, no cost to growth or reproduction was found during the next season, and no significant differences in F(v)/F(m) or leaf nutrients were found between control and deblossomed plants. Helianthemum squamatum's success in semiarid Mediterranean ecosystems seems to rely on a persistent seed bank, combined with a sustained high reproductive output at the expense of survival. We conclude that this strategy might be more common than previously thought among short-lived shrubby plants growing in stressful Mediterranean areas.

Environmental scales on the reproduction of a gypsophyte: a hierarchical approach.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Environmental variability at several scales can determine plant reproductive success. The main goal of this work was to model the reproductive flexibility of a semi-arid specialist considering different scales of environmental variability. METHODS: A 2-year field study was performed on the determinants of the female reproductive success of Helianthemum squamatum, an Iberian gypsophyte, considering two scales of environmental variability: differences between two contrasting slope aspects; and, on individual scale, the neighbouring microenvironment. Generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate simultaneously the potential effects of environmental variability at both scales, together with flowering phenology and plant size on the reproductive output of H. squamatum. The following reproductive response variables were considered: number of flowers, fruit-set, number of viable and aborted seeds per fruit, and number of seeds per plant. KEY RESULTS: Contrary to expectations, environmental variability exerted a weak or even absent effect on the reproductive variables considered, while flowering phenology and plant size, which did not vary between slopes, played a major role. Surprisingly, the absolute reproductive variables were even higher in the extremely dry year of 2003, although only on the south-facing slope. The relatively milder conditions of the north-facing slope did not involve any advantage to this species in terms of reproductive output. CONCLUSIONS: The species seemed to be considerably well adapted to the environmental unpredictability characteristic of Mediterranean systems, considering its ability to maintain reproduction across contrasting environments and contrasting climatic conditions. These findings make us face the question of what must be considered stressful conditions in the case of a stress-tolerant specialist.