Efficacy of Rivastigmine Augmentation on Positive and Negative Symptoms, General Psychopathology, and Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The study aimed to assess Rivastigmine augmentation on positive and negative symptoms (PNSs), general psychopathology, and quality of life in patients with chronic Schizophrenia. A double-blind, parallel-design, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 60 schizophrenia patients was conducted. Intervention group received rivastigmine 3 mg/day + Treatment as Usual (TAU) and the control group: TAU + placebo. Negative and positive symptoms, general psychopathology; and quality of life were measured using Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA). T-test, ANOVA, and the general univariate linear model tests were used for the analyses. Out of 60 participants, 52 (86.6%) were male. At baseline, no significant relationship was found for demographic and clinical characteristics between intervention and control groups. Between-group analysis indicated that all outcome measures PNSs, general psychopathology symptoms, and QoL score in rivastigmine group was significantly improved (p = 0.001). According to within-group analysis, a significant association was found between Rivastigmine and placebo groups in PNSs (p < 0.05). Rivastigmine augmentation improved PNSs and psychopathology in schizophrenia patients. However, no significant association found for improving the life quality after 8 weeks treatment.

Reliability and validity of Azeri Turkish version of geriatric depression scale.

Background: In older adults, depression symptoms may be masked by physical complaints and be even attributed to the natural aging process, which may be resulted in improper diagnosis. Native-language scales can be highly effective in the detection of depressive disorders. In this study we attempted to assess the reliability and validity of the Azeri Turkish version of the geriatric depression scale (GDS). Methods: In this psychometric study, the GDS and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV(SCID) questionnaires were administered to a sample of 387 older adults (60 years and older)from the member households of Tabriz health centers. The English version of GDS was translated into Azeri Turkish. Translation-back translation process was conducted. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, as well as sensitivity and specificity, were used to determine the validity of the questionnaire, and the test-retest method was used to calculate reliability. Results: The mean age of participants was 69.30. The area under the ROC curve for the scores higher than five was 0.832 and for the scores equal to ten and above was 0.871. The sensitivity and specificity for the scores higher than five were 90.9% and 73.4%, respectively. The reliability of this scale was confirmed based on intraclass coefficient (ICC) = 0.79. Conclusion : The Azeri Turkish version of GDS was found with appropriate levels of validity and reliability.

Comparison of the effect of lavender and bitter orange on sleep quality in postmenopausal women: A triple-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

This trial compared the effects of lavender and bitter orange on sleep quality in postmenopausal women. This trial was conducted in 2015. Eligible postmenopausal women were allocated into one of two intervention groups or a control group (n = 52 per group) in a 1:1:1 ratio using a randomized block design. Intervention groups received 500 mg capsules containing only bitter orange or lavender flower powder, and the control group received 500 mg capsules containing starch. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory was used before and eight weeks after starting the intervention. Data analyses were based on intention to treat. A one-way ANOVA showed a slightly significant difference in mean sleep score among the three groups before the intervention (p = .045). The general linear model, adjusted for baseline sleep score and confounding factors, showed significant differences among the groups in the mean sleep score after eight weeks of treatment (p < .001). Bitter orange and lavender significantly improved the mean sleep score compared with the control group (p < .001 and p = .003, respectively). The positive effect of bitter orange and lavender on sleep quality in postmenopausal women suggests that they can be used to improve sleep quality in such women.