[Deaths in a Tunisian psychiatric hospital: an eleven-year retrospective study]. / La mortalité à l'hôpital psychiatrique de Tunis : étude rétrospective sur 11ans.

BACKGROUND: Mortality in patients in psychiatric hospitals is reported to be two to three times as high as in the general population. In Tunisia, we do not have any figures on mortality and causes of death in psychiatric inpatients. AIM: The aim of our study was to assess the mortality rate in a psychiatric hospital in comparison to the mortality rate in the general population, to determine the patients' profile, and to identify the causes and risk factors for these deaths. METHODS: We performed a retrospective, descriptive and comparative study. We examined the records of all patients who died during their stay in the different wards of psychiatry at the Razi Hospital in Tunis. We also scrutinized reports of autopsies in the Forensic Medicine unit at Charles-Nicolle Hospital in Tunis over a period of eleven years from January 1st, 2000 to December 31st, 2010. We conducted a descriptive study to calculate the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) aiming to highlight any existing excess mortality among the psychiatric inpatients compared to the general population. This ratio was obtained by dividing the observed number of deaths by the expected number of deaths. In the analytical study, our sample was compared to a control population made-up of randomly selected living patients among those admitted to the Razi hospital in 2010. This study allowed us to investigate the risk factors for premature mortality in psychiatric inpatients. RESULTS: The average rate of mortality was two deaths per 1000 inpatients per year. Twenty-four percent (24%) of deaths involved institutionalized patients. Compared to the general population, premature mortality was noted among patients aged less than 40 (SMR=1.9). The older the patients were, the closer to 1 the SMR was. The average age at death was 51.38 years; 65% of patients were male, 60% had a low socio-economic level, 54% had a comorbid medical condition. Forty-two percent (42%) of deceased patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia with the paranoid form being the most prevalent (44%), 13% had bipolar disorder, 22% had psycho-organic disorders (mental retardation, dementia, delirium). Antipsychotics were the most prescribed psychotropic drugs. High doses were used. Forty percent of cases (40%) consisted of sudden deaths. A cause for death was identified in 80% of cases. In 92% of cases, the death was classified as being "natural". Main causes were respiratory (26%) and cardiovascular (9%). Accidental causes accounted for 8% of deaths. In 20% of cases, the cause remained undetermined. Three factors were identified as independent predictors of mortality among mental patients: age at death (OR=3.9 among patients older than 40), psychiatric diagnosis (OR=2.9 among patients with psychotic or mood disorders compared to other diagnoses) and combination of antipsychotic drugs (OR=6.09 in patients receiving more than two antipsychotics). DISCUSSION: Young psychiatric inpatients seem to be at high risk of premature death: the SMR in our study was 1.9. It ranged between 2.15 and 6.55 in other similar studies. This increased risk mainly concerns non-natural deaths. The leading natural cause of death in our population was represented by thromboembolic accidents. Such a high thromboembolic risk may be explained by the mental illness itself, by physical restraint as well as by antipsychotic treatment. Diagnosing medical conditions in psychiatric patients is often a daunting task: history of the patient is sometimes unreliable and clinical features might be modified by psychotropic agents. Patient-related risk factors for premature death include poor socio-economic level, access-to-care difficulties, positive family and personal history of mental and/or medical disorders, smoking, substance abuse, unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity. Moreover, iatrogenic effects of psychotropic drugs (combination of antipsychotics was more common in deceased patients than in controls) and inadequate medical care in psychiatric hospitals (lack of ECG devices, in particular) partly account for such a high mortality. CONCLUSION: Identifying risk factors for deaths in psychiatric hospitals highlights needed changes in psychiatric management strategies taking into account the patient's characteristics as well as the drugs' safety profile. Further studies with larger samples are needed to better highlight risk factors for premature death in psychiatric inpatients. Identifying such risk factors is necessary to develop efficient preventive strategies.

[Acute pancreatitis induced by valproic acid]. / Pancréatite aiguë induite par l'acide valproïque.

INTRODUCTION: We describe the case of an adult man aged 49, without personal antecedents, or family psychiatric history, treated for bipolar disorder since 1995 and stabilised in the last 8 years by valproic acid, who presented in January 2010 an acute drug-induced pancreatitis. Drug-induced pancreatitis has been described since 1955. It may be induced by more than 260 various molecules, as well as by valproic acid, which remains underreported in the literature because there is a problem of imputability. BACKGROUND: The prevalence of acute drug-induced pancreatitis is set between 1 and 2 %. However, it must remain as an exclusion diagnosis after conducting an exhaustive etiological investigation that will, notably, eliminate bilary and alcoholic causes. The most incriminated drugs are the inhibitors of the conversion enzyme, sulfa drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, diuretics and anticonvulsants, including valproic acid. In Tunisia, the prescription of valproic acid is increasing in bipolar disorder therapy because it is known for its weak toxicity and easy handling. CASE REPORT: The case of our patient, who suffers from an acute Balthazar stage C pancreatitis with severe evolution after the drug was stopped, the imputability of valproic acid was considered strong and the collegial decision between the surgery, pharmacovigilance and psychiatry services maintained the drug-induced origin and consequently stopped the valproic acid. DISCUSSION: This case supports the idea that acute pancreatitis may be induced by valproic acid, even after a prescription lasting for a long period of time, it has no predictable factors and is totally independent of the drug-related dose and of depakine blood levels. There are no predictive factors to the present day, but the evolution is generally good except in rare cases where it may be dangerous. This leads us to think of bipolar patients who are found within weak grounds, such as alcoholics, cancer and HIV positive patients.

[Chronic subdural hematoma and psychotic decompensation]. / Hématome sous-dural chronique et décompensation psychotique.

BACKGROUND: In Tunisia, with the remarkable progress in health, life expectancy has significantly increased these last decades. Indeed, in 2004, 9.3% of the population was aged over 60, and this rate is predicted to reach 17% in 2029 and about 29% by 2050. In the elderly, chronic subdural hematoma (HSDC) may be caused by even minimal trauma or occur spontaneously. The manifestations of this type of accumulation depend on the degree of cerebral compression and the localisation of the mass. They could be delirium, dementia, convulsions or psychiatric disorders (frontal location). CASE REPORT: When the psychiatric presentation predominates, the decision to hospitalise an elderly person in a psychiatric unit is difficult and often avoided. We report the case of an 81 year-old man without history of medical condition or personal or family psychiatric history, who, in 2000, began to exhibit behavioural disorders, delusions of persecution and jealousy, visual hallucinations and sexual disinhibition. This clinical picture that set in so insidiously and in moderate intensity was long tolerated by the family circle. The patient was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in January 2008 with the worsening of the symptoms. The clinical examination and investigations confirmed the diagnosis of chronic frontoparietal subdural hematoma without compression. The decision in neurosurgery was to refrain from surgical drainage and administer high doses of steroids under supervision (clinical and biological). The evolution was good with progressive resorption of the hematoma to complete recovery. Currently, the patient is symptom free and the last CT scan on 03/11/2010 confirms the total resorption of the hematoma. CONCLUSION: It appears from this case and review of the literature that various psychiatric manifestations may reveal an HSDC and that, in the elderly, neuroimaging should be systematic, even for minor symptoms. The total resorption led to the disappearance of psychiatric symptoms in most patients, but this remains a topic of discussion for patients who retain residual symptoms, even after resorption of the mass. Caution is required when faced with an elderly person suffering, and we should strive to explore all possible causes before jumping to the conclusion of the fatality of growing old.

[Crosscultural aspects of bipolar disorder: results of a comparative study between French and Tunisian patients]. / Les aspects culturels du trouble bipolaire : résultats d'une étude comparative entre des patients français et tunisiens.

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorders are one of the most potentially severe psychiatric disorders, implying a high degree of morbidity and incapacity for patients. Indeed, the World Health Organization in 1996 ranked them as the sixth most disabling condition worldwide. Major advances have been achieved in their understanding and management. However, too many patients do not yet benefit from them. As a matter of fact, bipolar disorders are still underestimated and under-recognized, being too often misdiagnosed with major depression or schizophrenia; the DSM-IV acknowledges the trend of clinicians to overdiagnose schizophrenia (rather than bipolar disorder), especially in ethnic groups and young people. Indeed, cultural factors may impact the symptomatology and the course of the disease. In particular, it has been shown by many authors that schizophrenia-like features are more likely to be found in southern countries. Similarly, the same authors have reported more manic than depressive episodes during the course of bipolar disorder. OBJECTIVE: We aimed at comparing individuals with bipolar disorder living in two distinct geographic and cultural environments, namely France and Tunisia. METHOD: Our study included two samples of 40 patients each, natives from the country, who were admitted during 2007 to the hospitals of Razi (Tunis, Tunisia) and Le Vinatier (Lyon, France) and suffering from a bipolar disorder according to the DSM-IV criteria. The French sample was constituted by all the patients meeting the inclusion criteria and the Tunisian one was selected by matching the patients by gender and duration of the disorder. RESULTS: Our results were consistent with the existing literature, showing many similarities and some marked differences such as a greater rate of manic episodes in the onset and during the course of the illness as well. The main result was the type of the first episode: mania in three quarter cases in Tunisia and depressive in the same proportion in France. The same figures applied to the recurrences. Unipolar mania, in particular, was three times more common in Tunisia than in France. DISCUSSION: Beyond the methodological biases (in-patients recruitment, diagnosis habits, cultural tolerance), these differences are also probably linked to climatic factors, such as temperature and photoperiod. CONCLUSION: The early detection of bipolar disorder is of crucial importance to provide specific treatments to patients. In a world where psychiatrists are more and more exposed to meet patients from various backgrounds, it is necessary to be aware of culture-bound features. Besides, the primacy of mania, in southern countries, may be a key to deepen our understanding of bipolar disorder and consequently its management.

[Schizophrenia and culture: reality and perspectives based on the Tunisian experience]. / Schizophrénie et culture: réalités et perspectives à partir de l'expérience tunisienne.

UNLABELLED: Despite notable advances in the field, schizophrenia is still considered a major public health problem on international level. The combination of frequency, chronicity and severity make it, for some authors, the "cancer of mental disorders". However, according to the many cross-cultural studies, in particular, the two mammoth research projects of the WHO (IPSS and DOSMED, it is now irrefutable that the course and outcome of schizophrenia are better in patients from developing countries. The reasons for better outcome and more favorable course of schizophrenia in developing countries are still far from clear and remain speculative. AIM OF THE STUDY: We have carried out a study among a population of schizophrenic patients admitted to our hospital during the past year, to question the issues of outcome, course and prognosis in Tunisia, which is an emerging country, ranking half-way between the most and the least developed countries. RESULTS: It appears that the outcome of schizophrenia is similar to that of developed countries. A community survey reported an annual prevalence of 5.7 and an incidence of 3. 266 patients with schizophrenia were admitted between August 2003 and 2004, representing 40% of the whole hospitalized population; 80% were former patients who had been hospitalized an average of 8 times. One patient out of five will be readmitted at least once within the same year. Only 16.5% were married, and 10% had a regular job, in spite of a high level of education. A chronic course without remission is not unusual and long stay patients now account for a fourth of the hospital population. COMMENTS: It seems clearly and paradoxically that the course and outcome of schizophrenia is deteriorating and getting closer to what is observed in the industrialized societies. The same trend was observed in the western countries during the last centuries, leading some authors to claim that schizophrenia is a modern disease, which appeared in the XIX(e) century and spread in the XX(e). Besides, other than the controversy regarding the recent evolution of its incidence, it seems that we are not witnessing the anticipated decrease in incidence that comes with the therapeutic progress and the decline in fertility among individuals with schizophrenia. DISCUSSION: We shall discuss three hypotheses to try to explain the aggravation of schizophrenia along with the economic development: the heterogeneity of the disease with two clinical presentations: a benign form (good prognosis), more frequent in developing countries, and a severe form, observed mainly in developed societies. The progress in medicine and gynecology-obstetrics, which contributes to the survival of patients with serious schizophrenia and the vulnerable newborn exposed to multiple assaults and risk factors related to birth. The progress in psychiatry that is selecting the more serious subtypes of schizophrenia, which are overrepresented today. Research issues pertaining to course and outcome of schizophrenia are still unresolved. It is likely that prognosis of schizophrenia varies according to the economic development rather than to the culture. This observation could open new research and prevention perspectives.

Women's mental health in the Muslim world: cultural, religious, and social issues.

In Arab communities, several cultural factors, derived mainly from the subordinate position of women, have been shown to affect the prevalence, clinical picture, health seeking behaviour, course and management of psychopathology in women. Women are definitely at a greater risk of developing mental disorders such as depressive, somatoform, anxious or eating disorders, as well as suicidal behaviors. Furthermore, mentally ill women are more stigmatized, have less access to care and suffer from a worse social outcome. This paper describes a series of culture-related risk factors such as education, work, sexuality, marriage, and infertility, which significantly contribute to triggering mental disorders in females, or to worsen their course and outcome. The authors recommend that mental health providers should play a critical role by addressing the cultural as well as psychological conditions that create and maintain threats to women's mental health.

Violence against women in Arab and Islamic countries.

In Arab and Islamic countries, domestic violence is not yet considered a major concern despite its increasing frequency and serious consequences. Surveys in Egypt, Palestine, Israel and Tunisia show that at least one out of three women is beaten by her husband. The indifference to this type of violence stems from attitudes that domestic violence is a private matter and, usually, a justifiable response to misbehaviour on the part of the wife. Selective excerpts from the Koran are used to prove that men who beat their wives are following God's commandments. These religious justifications, plus the importance of preserving the honour of the family, lead abusers, victims, police and health care professionals to join in a conspiracy of silence rather than disclosing these offences. However, a fair reading of the Koran shows that wife abuse, like genital mutilation and "honour killings" are a result of culture rather than religion.