Effectiveness of inpatient versus outpatient complex treatment programs in depressive disorders: a quasi-experimental study under naturalistic conditions.

BACKGROUND: Due to long waiting periods for outpatient psychotherapy and the high resource requirements of inpatient treatment, there is a need for alternative treatment programs for patients with depressive disorders. Thus, we investigated the effectiveness of the "Bielefeld Outpatient Intensive Treatment Program of Depression" (BID) in comparison with a typical inpatient treatment program by using a prospective quasi-experimental observational study. We assumed (i) that both complex programs are effective in pre-post analyses after 6 weeks and (ii) that inpatient treatment is more effective compared with the outpatient program. METHODS: Four hundred patients with depressive psychopathology - a majority with depressive episodes (ICD-10 F3X) - took part in the BID and 193 in the inpatient program. Different self- (i.e., BDI) and expert measures (i.e., MADRS) of psychopathology at baseline (t1) and 6 weeks later (t2) were applied to examine treatment effects. RESULTS: Treatment effects were high in separate analyses of both groups with Cohen's d ranging from 1.10 to 1.76., while ANOVA comparative analyses did not reveal any significant differences between both treatment settings nor did a set of independent covariates analyzed here. Response rates of BDI (p = .002) and MADRS (p = .001) were higher in the outpatient group. Results indicate BID not to be inferior compared to an inpatient program, although diverging pathways to treatment, higher rates of clinical recurrent depressive disorders and severe episodes as well as lower rates of employment and partnership in the inpatient treatment group have to be considered. CONCLUSION: Outpatient intensive treatment programs may represent a solution for patients needing more than a treatment session once per week but less than a complex inpatient or day clinic program.

[Management of Transition - Problems and Suggestions for Improvement from Psychiatric Outpatient Clinics]. / Übergangsmanagement ­ Probleme und Optimierungsvorschläge aus den Psychiatrischen Institutsambulanzen (PIA).

The structure of psychiatric outpatient clinics with multi-professional treatment teams provides a suitable frame for a successful transition from child to adult treatment settings. At present, however, the management of transition, especially for severely mentally ill adolescents, is unsatisfactory. In order to optimize conditions of transition, the following measures are proposed:▪ use of structured transfer sheets▪ round table conferences▪ shared trainings of child and adult psychiatrists▪ development of specific consultation hours for adolescents in transition; financial funding has to be established by health insurances.

Psychiatric lifetime diagnoses are associated with a reduced chance of seizure freedom after temporal lobe surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether psychiatric comorbidity is a predictor of long-term seizure outcome following temporal lobe epilepsy surgery. METHODS: A sample of 434 adult patients who received temporal lobe resection to treat epilepsy between 1991 and 2009 and were psychiatrically assessed before surgery were followed for 2 years to assess seizure outcome. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the impact of psychiatric variables on complete seizure freedom (Engel class IA), and freedom from disabling seizures (Engel class I). Lifetime histories of three psychiatric syndromes (PS: psychosis; depression; other) and five personality disorders (PD: DSM-IV Clusters A, B, and C; organic personality disorder; other) were considered as predictors, complemented by age at onset, duration of epilepsy, type of lesion (mesiotemporal sclerosis vs. other), and year of surgery. RESULTS: Seizure-freedom rates were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in patients with no history of PS or PD (N = 138; Engel class IA: 61.6%; Engel class I: 87.7%) than in those with any PS or PD (N = 296; Engel class IA: 39.5%; Engel class I: 58.8%). Particularly low seizure-freedom rates were found in patients with a diagnosis of psychosis (N = 32, Engel class IA: 21.9%; Engel class I: 40.6%), organic PD (N = 48, Engel class IA: 25.0%; Engel class I: 35.4%) or a double diagnosis of PS plus PD (N = 97; Engel class IA: 27.8%; Engel class I: 45.5%). No other variables emerged as significant risk factors in multivariate logistic regression analyses. SIGNIFICANCE: Patients with and without psychiatric comorbidities can benefit from temporal lobe epilepsy surgery; however, psychiatric comorbidities are negatively associated with postoperative seizure-freedom rates. Surgical outcome is related to the type and extent of preoperative psychiatric morbidity, which underscores the prognostic value of presurgical psychiatric evaluation. The data support the argument that there are common pathogenetic mechanisms underlying both epilepsy and psychiatric conditions.

Effects of an inpatient rehabilitation program after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery and other factors on employment 2 years after epilepsy surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a postsurgical rehabilitation program on employment status 2 years after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery in relation to other predictors. METHODS: Employment outcome 2 years after temporal lobe resection in a group of 232 adult patients with the offer of a 3-week inpatient rehabilitation program immediately after surgery ("Reha group") was compared to a group of 119 patients who had surgery before such a rehabilitation program existed. One hundred thirty-nine (59.9%) of the Reha group patients attended the rehabilitation program. Further predictors for employment outcome were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Preoperatively, the groups did not differ significantly in variables relevant for employment, including employment rate. Two years after surgery, the rate of those not being employed had decreased in the Reha group from 38.4% to 27.6% (p < 0.001, McNemar test), and slightly increased in the control group (37.8-42.0%; n.s.), resulting in a difference of 14.4% in favor of the Reha group (p = 0.008). General unemployment rates during the two observation periods were similar. In addition to the offer of rehabilitation support ("Reha group") and preoperative employment, the following other variables were shown as significant predictors of employment post surgery in multivariate regression analysis: seizure outcome, diagnosis of a personality disorder preoperatively, and age at surgery (all, p < 0.01; Nagelkerkes R(2) = 0.59). SIGNIFICANCE: Independently from other factors, a 3-week inpatient rehabilitation program after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery seems to improve employment status 2 years after surgery.

Treatment of postsurgical psychiatric complications.

We describe the physical, psychological, and social complications and adaptation demands after epilepsy surgery and the risks of the development of psychiatric disorders when adequate stress processing fails. Practical strategies that can be followed in the prevention and treatment of postsurgical psychiatric complications are reviewed. The postoperative period is divided in three phases: (1) the early postoperative phase of stress processing until discharge from hospital; (2) the coping phase during the first months after discharge; and (3) the reorientation phase. The early postoperative course is often dominated by physical problems that hamper success in convalescence. They may initiate early psychiatric disturbances especially in patients with preoperative psychiatric comorbidity. The second phase after discharge from hospital is the typical time in which various psychiatric disorders may develop (either de novo or exacerbations of known disorders). At this time it is mandatory to keep in contact with patients, to start psychiatric treatments if necessary, and to assess for suicidal risk. The course of the third phase of reorientation depends on seizure outcome and on psychiatric state. Seizure-free persons without psychiatric comorbidities start to forget their epilepsy; those with less successful outcome conditions may need further support, especially for vocational integration. Epilepsy surgery brings about an overall strong improvement of psychiatric morbidity and quality of patients' life. Nevertheless, the first postoperative year is a fragile period that includes multiple physical, psychological, and social adaptation tasks. Patients with a history of psychiatric disorders are at a special risk of failing to cope with those health-related demands, but also for nonpsychiatric patients the months after epilepsy surgery are often stressful and exhausting. Professional help must be available during the postoperative coping time.

Long-term outcome and determinants of quality of life after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery in adults.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To find determinants of quality of life (QOL) in long-term follow-up after temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) surgery in adults. METHODS: The QOLIE-31 questionnaire was sent to 400 of 524 patients who were operated on for refractory TLE between 1991 and 2003 in the Bethel Epilepsy Centre fulfilling the inclusion criteria of this study. Mainly patients with severe cognitive deficits and patients with progressive brain disorders were excluded. There were 222/400 patients who replied to the QOLIE-31 questionnaire and 147/222 of these patients replied to an additional questionnaire. RESULTS: Univariate analyses showed that seizure freedom, presence of auras, intake of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), severity of AED side effects, and driving a car were significantly correlated with all subscales of QOLIE-31. Furthermore, employment status, psychiatric problems, tumors and hippocampus sclerosis pathology, the presence of a partner, age at reply, age at surgery and medical co-morbidities were significantly correlated with some subscales of the QOLIE-31. Multivariate analyses (stepwise regression analyses) revealed that especially the time since the last seizure and the severity of AED side effects had a strong impact on QOL. However, aura at last follow-up, psychiatric treatment and employment were seen in the multivariate analyses as significant predictors of some QOL subscales as well. Most subscales of QOL showed a steep, non-linear increase within the first years of seizure freedom and remained relatively stable except for cognitive function which showed continuous improvement parallel to seizure freedom. For patients who were seizure free since surgery, side effects of AED and/or psychiatric treatment were the strongest determinants of QOL. CONCLUSION: Duration of seizure freedom and AED side effects have the strongest impact on QOL in the long-term follow-up. Therefore it is important not only to register intake of AEDs but also to assess side effects of AEDs. Persistence of auras also had an impact on different facets of QOL, but was significantly correlated with intake of AEDs. Apart from factors directly related to epilepsy QOL was dependent of psychosocial factors as employment status, psychiatric complications, and driving a car underlining the necessity of postoperative rehabilitation in this group.

Personality disorders as predictors of severe postsurgical psychiatric complications in epilepsy patients undergoing temporal lobe resections.

Purpose. Psychiatric disorders emerging after temporal lobe resections are a serious problem threatening the surgical success of patients with epilepsy. The present study aims to find psychiatric predictors that would indicate patients' risk to developing severe psychiatric complications after surgery.Methods. One hundred adult patients who had temporal lobe resections were followed prospectively over 2 years. Preoperative psychiatric diagnoses and postoperative development of the patients were documented. As a criterion of severe postoperative complication, admission to a psychiatric hospital was chosen.Results. Patients with personality disorders are at higher risk of suffering from postoperative psychiatric complications as compared with patients with other preoperative psychiatric conditions (such as depression) or with patients with no preoperative psychiatric diagnosis whatsoever.Conclusions. Personality disorders are caused by organic dispositions and negative environmental influence. They indicate a high mental vulnerability and compromise the brain's ability to combat stress. As a consequence patients with personality disorders are prone to suffer from severe psychiatric complications after epilepsy surgery. To minimize the negative influence of personality disorders in the process of surgical interventions, psychotherapeutic efforts are needed to reduce perisurgical stress factors and to strengthen the self-efficacy and social skills of these patients.