Borderline personality traits do not influence response to TMS.

Comorbid personality disorders are common in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Individuals with comorbid borderline personality disorder (BPD) may be less responsive to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but it remains unclear whether BPD affects responsiveness to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We sought to investigate the association between BPD and response to TMS. We conducted a retrospective analysis of individuals receiving TMS (n=356) at McLean Hospital. We also included individuals receiving ECT (n=1434) as a control. All individuals completed the McLean Screening Instrument for BPD (MSI-BPD) at baseline. Response to treatment was measured by the Quick Inventory of Depression Symptomatology Self-Report (QIDS-SR). We performed general linear models (GLMs) to assess the effect of BPD on treatment response to TMS and ECT. At baseline, the ECT group had a higher average QIDS-SR score (21.4 vs. 20.3, p<0.05). For both treatment groups, the number of treatments had a significant effect on depression severity. For the TMS group, there was no significant Group x Time interaction on QIDS-SR score (p=0.18). However, for individuals receiving ECT, there was a significant Group x Time interaction on QIDS-SR score (p=0.02), suggesting that BPD significantly impaired response. These results suggest that borderline personality traits did not affect treatment response to TMS for MDD. BPD traits modestly predicted response to ECT, which is consistent with the literature. These results require replication in a clinical trial.

Spectrum of abdominal-tuberculosis in emergency surgery: 100 cases at a tertiary care Centre Dow University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan.

The study highlights the spectrum of abdominal TB in emergency surgery and its outcome. A proforma based prospective cross sectional study was conducted from March 2008 - March 2014, at the Department of General Surgery, Dow University of Health Sciences & Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. Total patients studied were hundred. Ninety percent patients presented through the emergency department. Mean age was 30 ± 7.29 years. Family history of TB was positive in 46 (46%) patients. Pulmonary TB was present in 22 (22%), and 52 (52%) - were already on Antitubercular Therapy-- Emergency exploratory laparotomy was performed in 85 (85%) patients with 61 (61%) having peritonitis. and 24 (24%) having acute intestinal obstruction. A total of 15 (15%) patients were kept on ATT under observation, Of these 7(7%) were diagnosed with Ileocaecal mass, 5 (5%) with enterocutaneous fistula, and 3(3%) had sub-acute intestinal obstruction. Ileum was the most common site for abdominal TB in 36(36%), followed by ileocaecal TB in 13 (13%) and jejunal TB in 12 (12%). Stoma and abdominal washout was the minimum procedure which was performed in 34 (34%) cases. Fourteen (14%) patients diagnosed with ileocaecal TB, received limited right hemi colectomy with two end stoma whereas 7(7%) patients were subjected to limited right hemi colectomy with primary anastomosis. Patients with multiple strictures and perforations were subjected to segmental resection with two end stoma. This was performed, in 12 (12%) cases and primary repair and anastomosis in 9 (9%). Only washouts and laparostomy was performed in 5 (5%) and adhenolysis in 4(4%) cases. Redo surgery was required in 44 (44%). The overall mortality was 18%. This study concludes that abdominal TB patients usually present late with complications in emergency surgery because of diagnostic delay, having a high morbidity and mortality.