Treatment of depression associated with age-related macular degeneration: a double-blind, randomized, controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is frequently found in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of escitalopram in treating major and minor depression in AMD patients. METHODS: We conducted a crossover, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 16-week study comparing escitalopram with placebo. Inclusion criteria included reduced vision from AMD and major or minor depression, with a 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) score of ≥10. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either escitalopram or placebo for 8 weeks and then crossed over to the other treatment. The primary outcome was change on the total HAMD-17 score with escitalopram treatment compared with placebo. RESULTS: We enrolled 16 AMD patients (mean age 79.1), 12 with major depression and 4 with minor depression. Mean HAMD-17 score at enrollment was 16.1 ± 4.2, and mean visual acuity in the better eye was 20/70. During escitalopram treatment, participants showed a significant reduction in HAMD-17 scores compared with placebo treatment (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest escitalopram may be an effective treatment for depressive symptoms associated with major or minor depression in AMD patients with vision loss.

Postpartum major depression.

Postpartum major depression is a disorder that is often unrecognized and must be distinguished from "baby blues." Antenatal depressive symptoms, a history of major depressive disorder, or previous postpartum major depression significantly increase the risk of postpartum major depression. Screening with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale may be appropriate. Some women with postpartum major depression may experience suicidal ideation or obsessive thoughts of harming their infants, but they are reluctant to volunteer this information unless asked directly. Psychotherapy or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may be used to treat the condition. In patients with moderate to severe postpartum major depression, psychotherapy may be used as an adjunct to medication. No evidence suggests that one antidepressant is superior to others. Antidepressants vary in the amount secreted into breast milk. If left untreated, postpartum major depression can lead to poor mother-infant bonding, delays in infant growth and development, and an increased risk of anxiety or depressive symptoms in the infant later in life.

Age-related macular degeneration: self-management and reduction of depressive symptoms in a randomized, controlled study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of a self-management program for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in reducing depressive symptoms. DESIGN: Analysis of 6-month follow-up for a subset of participants in a randomized, controlled trial who were clinically depressed at baseline. SETTING: University ophthalmology clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two depressed older adult volunteers (mean age 81.5) with advanced AMD who had been randomized to a self-management program (n=12) or one of two control conditions (n=20). Subjects were included if at baseline they met criteria from the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Axis, I, Fourth Edition, Research Version, for major or minor depressive disorder with significant depressive symptoms (>or=5 points) on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). INTERVENTION: AMD self-management program consisting of cognitive and behavioral elements including health education and enhancement of problem-solving skills. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome measure was GDS-15. Secondary outcome measures included National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) and AMD Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. RESULTS: At 6-month follow-up, the self-management group had a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms on the GDS-15 than the controls (P=.03). The mean reduction of 2.92 points in the self-management group was more than the 2-point change threshold considered to be clinically meaningful. Change on the NEI-VFQ was nonsignificant. Reduction in depressive symptoms was associated with greater self-efficacy in the self-management group. CONCLUSION: These findings may support the effectiveness of an AMD self-management program for depressed older adults with advanced vision loss from AMD.

Rapid oral loading of extended release divalproex in patients with acute mania.

BACKGROUND: Oral loading with the delayed release formulation of divalproex sodium is widely used for the treatment of patients with acute mania and produces rapid attainment of therapeutic serum levels. Recently, an extended release formulation of divalproex sodium (divalproex ER) was approved for treatment of migraine headaches. This formulation may be a useful treatment option for patients with acute mania. METHOD: A retrospective review of medical records was conducted on 14 inpatients with acute mania whose treatment included initiation of divalproex ER at a dose of 30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) in a single dose. Doses, serum levels and side effects associated with this treatment were recorded from the medical records of these patients. RESULTS: The average dose of divalproex ER was 2034 mg day(-1) (range, 1500-3000 mg day(-1)). Two of the 14 patients (14%) had documented side effects, none of which were severe. The average level obtained on day 3 after initiation of divalproex ER treatment was 93.2 mug ml(-1) (range, 47-136 mug ml(-1)), and in all but three patients valproate levels at this time point were within the therapeutic range of 50-125 mug ml(-1). In no case was divalproex ER discontinued due to a perceived lack of efficacy. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that divalproex ER can be safely administered by oral loading in inpatients with acute mania and that using a standard loading protocol can result in therapeutic serum levels in most patients in 3 days or less.

Quetiapine-induced diabetes with metabolic acidosis.

Medication adherence with antipsychotics is adversely impacted by the burden of untoward adverse effects. In particular, sexual side-effects may interfere with compliance, but are often underreported by patients. Sexual dysfunction related to hyperprolactinemia is commonly described, but ejaculatory disturbance due to potent alpha1 adrenergic antagonism may also occur, and has been reported frequently with certain typical antipsychotics such as thioridazine, but rarely with atypical antipsychotics. Presented here is the case of a 51 year old male with schizophrenia who developed retrograde ejaculation on high dose risperidone therapy (8 mg/day) with prompt resolution of symptoms upon dose reduction. The absence of decreased libido or erectile dysfunction indicates that alpha1 adrenergic antagonism and not low serum testosterone due to hyperprolactinemia is the etiology for this side-effect. This case illustrates another mechanism for sexual adverse effects, and the need for routine inquiry into sexual dysfunction during atypical antipsychotic therapy.