Metabolic changes of prefrontal cerebral lobe,white matter and cerebellum in patients with post-stroke depression A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

BACKGROUND： Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy （IH-MRS） non-invasively detects changes in chemical substances in the brain, which reflects the pathological metabolism.OBJECTIVE： To investigate changes in N-acetyl-aspartate （NAA）, choline （Cho）, creatine （Cr）, and myoinositol （MI） in the gray and white matter of cerebral prefrontal lobe and cerebellum of patients with differential degrees of post-stroke depression （PSD） using ^1H-MRS. DESIGN： A case control study. SETTING： The First Affiliated Hospital of the Dalian Medical University. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 38 patients with stroke （28 male and l0 female patients, aged 40 to 79 years） were selected from the Department of Neurology, 1st Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, from February to October in 2004. All subjects met the DSM-IV criteria for cerebrovascular disease and depression. The degree of depression was defined according to Hamilton criteria. 38 patients with PSD were divided into two groups according to the time after ischemia, 20 patients in the acute group with less than 10 days after ischemic attack （mild： 16 patients, moderate/severe： 4 patients） and 18 patients in the chronic group with more than l l days after ischemic attack （mild： 15 patients, moderate/severe： 3 patients）. Seventeen healthy volunteers with matching age from 41 to 80 years were examined as a control group. The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the University Medical Center Utrecht, and each participant signed an informed consent form. METHODS： Spectra were acquired by multi-voxel point-resolved spectroscopy （PRESS） sequence with GE signal.5T MR/i, localized in prefrontal cerebral lobe and cerebellum. Values of NAA, Cho, MI, and Cr ere compared between different graded PSD patients and control subjects with one-way analysis of variance in software SPSS 11.5. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Metabolite concentration in different brain regions of interest. Difference in metabolites between distinctly graded PSD patients and control subjects. Exclusion of age-effects on metabolites. RESULTS： Metabolite concentrations of different brain regions： A significant rise in the Cho/Cr ratio was detected in the acute and chronic group compared to the control group. The ratio change was more significant in the acute group （P 〈 0.05）. There was no significant difference between these three groups for other metabolites detected by IH-MRS in the right frontal white matter, bilateral frontal grey matter, and cerebellum （P 〉 0.05）. Comparison of metabolite levels among differently graded PSD patients and control subjects： a significant increase in the Cho/Cr ratio was detected in the left frontal white matter compared to the control group （P 〈 0.05）. There was no significant difference in age between patients in the stroke groups and the control group （P 〉 0.05）, and similarly, there was no significant correlation between age and absolute or relative values in the control group （P 〉 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Abnormalities of frontal lobe in PSD were located in the white matter. There was early abnormality of metabolic substance in PSD.

Depression and anxiety among cancer patients visiting a tertiary care cancer hospital

BACKGROUND Cancer patients frequently experience psychological problems related to reactions to cancer diagnosis,cancer type and stage,treatment effects,recurrence,fear of end-of-life,survivorship,and financial burden.Depression and anxiety are both psychological and physiological disturbances among cancer patients.AIM To assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety among cancer patients attending a tertiary care cancer hospital.METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital in Kathmandu Valley among 220 cancer patients aged from 18 years to 70 years.Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee of CiST College.Convenient sampling was used to interview patients with the standardized Patient-Health Questionnaire(PHQ-9)for Depression and Hospital Anxiety and Depression sub-scale(HADS-A)for anxiety.Epi-Data was used for data entry and transferred to SPSS Version 25 for analysis.RESULTS The study revealed that of 220 patients,most of the respondents belonged to the age group 51-60 years.More than half 131(59.6%)of the respondents were female,most of them had depression,and one-third had anxiety.Among the respondents,124(56.4%)had mild depression,70(31.8%)had moderate depression,and 3(1.3%)had severe depression;79(35.9%)had mild anxiety,64(29.1%)had moderate anxiety,and 4(1.8%)had severe anxiety.CONCLUSION Most respondents were depressed and one-third had anxiety.More than half and nearly one-third had mild and moderate depression,respectively,and nearly one-third had mild and moderate anxiety,which is higher than other studies.

Systematic review and meta-analysis on efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of inflammatory factors in patients with post-stroke depression

Objective:To systematically evaluate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine on inflammatory factors in patients with post-stroke depression(PSD)and the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine on PSD.Methods:Chinese databases(Sinomed,CNKI,VIP,Wanfang),PubMed,Cochrane Library,and Web of Science were searched.Randomized controlled trials of patients with PSD treated with traditional Chinese medicine were included.Quality evaluation was performed and Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software.Results:The results show that TCM therapy is superior to western medicine in reducing the level of TNF-α[MD=-4.13,95%CI(-4.75,-3.51),P<0.00001],IL-6[MD=-3.39,95%CI(-3.90,-2.88),P<0.00001]and IL-8[MD=-2.12,95%CI(-2.49,-1.75),P<0.00001]in venous blood of PSD patients,and is superior to western medicine in reducing the score of HAMD[MD=-4.22,95%CI(-5.37,-3.07),P<0.00001]and NIHSS[MD=-2.33,95%CI(-3.43,-1.23),P<0.0001].The combination of Chinese medicine and western medicine is superior to western medicine in reducing the level of TNF-α[MD=-10.61,95%CI(-15.30,-5.91),P<0.00001]、IL-1[MD=-3.75,95%CI(-4.51,-2.99),P<0.00001]、IL-6[MD=-3.83,95%CI(-4.49,-3.16),P<0.0001]、IL-8[MD=-9.41,95%CI(-14.89,-3.92),P<0.00001]and Hcy[MD=-3.81,95%CI(-4.62,-2.99),P<0.00001]in venous blood of patients with PSD,and is superior to western medicine in reducing the score of HAMD[MD=-3.06,95%CI(-3.39,-2.73),P<0.00001]、NIHSS[MD=-4.47,95%CI(-7.55,-1.39),P=0.004]and HAMA[MD=-2.83,95%CI(-3.47,-2.19),P<0.00001]and improving BI index.Three studies do not mention adverse reactions,and 37 cases in the remaining three studies show rash,tremor,dizziness and other adverse reactions.The incidence of adverse reactions in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group,and there were no serious adverse reactions.Conclusion:The results suggest that traditional Chinese medicine can reduce the level of some inflammatory factors in patients with PSD to a certain extent,and its efficacy is better than that of western medicine alone.Nevertheless,this study has some limitations,and with the increase of related trials in the future,the conclusions of the study need to be further discussed by adding more high-quality RCT studies.

Effect of adjuvant acupuncture therapy on serum cytokines and neurotransmitters in patients with post-stroke depression

Objective:To study the effect of adjuvant acupuncture therapy on serum cytokines and neurotransmitters in patients with post-stroke depression.Methods: Patients with poststroke depression who were treated in Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Yuyang District Yulin City between May 2014 and February 2017 were selected as the research subjects and divided into two groups by random number table, control group of patients received neurotrophy, rehabilitation exercise, antidepressant drugs and other symptomatic treatment, and the acupuncture group received auxiliary acupuncture treatment on the basis of symptomatic treatment. The serum levels of nerve cytokines, inflammatory cytokines and neurotransmitters were detected before treatment as well as 2 weeks and 4 weeks after treatment.Results: 2 weeks and 4 weeks after treatment, serum BDNF, NGF, IGF-1, FGF-2, NE, DA and 5-HT levels of both groups of patients were higher than those before treatment while HCY, IL-1β, IL-2, sIL-2R, TNF-α levels were lower than those before treatment, and serum BDNF, NGF, IGF-1, FGF-2, NE, DA and 5-HT levels of acupuncture group were higher than those of control group while HCY, IL-1β, IL-2, sIL-2R, TNF-α levels were lower than those of control group.Conclusion: Adjuvant acupuncture therapy for post-stroke depression can increase the secretion of nerve cytokines, reduce the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and regulate the function of monoamine neurotransmitters.

Nerve cell apoptosis in patients with post-stroke depression

Objective:To study the relationship of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels with neurotransmitters, neurotrophic state and nerve cell apoptosis in patients with post-stroke depression (PSD).Methods: Patients with ischemic stroke who were treated in our hospital between June 2014 and October 2016 were selected, and according to the HAMD-17 score at 14 days after onset, the enrolled patients were divided into into the post-stroke depression group (PSD group) and stroke group (PS group). Serum levels of TSH, neurotransmitters, neurotrophic cytokines and apoptotic molecules were detected.Results: Serum TSH, 5-HT, NE, DA, BDNF and NGF levels of PSD group were significantly lower than those of PS group while Bax, FasL, Fas and Caspase-3 levels were significantly higher than those of PS group;5-HT, NE, DA, BDNF and NGF levels of PSD group of patients with low TSH were significantly lower than those of PSD group of patients with normal TSH while Bax, FasL, Fas and Caspase-3 levels were significantly higher than those of PSD group of patients with normal TSH.Conclusion:The decrease of serum TSH level in patients with PSD can affect neurotransmitters, neurotrophic state and nerve cell apoptosis.

Influence of hyperbaric oxygen combined with psychotropic drugs on serum neurotransmitter and cytokine contents in patients with post-stroke depression

Objective: To investigate the influence of hyperbaric oxygen combined with psychotropic drugs on serum neurotransmitter and cytokine contents in patients with post-stroke depression. Methods: A total of 62 patients with post-stroke depression who were treated in the hospital between January 2015 and February 2017 were divided into routine group (n=31) and hyperbaric oxygen group (n=31) by random number table method. Routine group received antidepressant therapy, hyperbaric oxygen group received hyperbaric oxygen combined with antidepressant therapy, and the therapies lasted for 8 weeks. The differences in the serum contents of monoamine neurotransmitters, inflammatory factors and oxidative stress indexes were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in serum levels of monoamine neurotransmitters, inflammatory factors and oxidative stress indexes between the two groups before treatment. After 8 weeks of treatment, serum monoamine neurotransmitters NE, 5-HT and DA contents of hyperbaric oxygen group were higher than those of routine group;serum inflammatory factors IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and hs-CRP contents were lower than those of routine group;serum oxidative stress indexes LHP and MDA contents were lower than those of routine group whereas CAT and GSH-Px contents were higher than those of routine group. Conclusion:Hyperbaric oxygen combined with psychotropic drug therapy can effectively increase the expression of monoamine neurotransmitters and balance the homeostasis in patients with post-stroke depression.

Clinical Study of Acupuncture Combined with Emotional Intervention in Patients with Post-Stroke Depression

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with emotional intervention in patients with post-stroke depression(PSD).Methods:A total of 100 patients with PSD who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into an experimental group(50 cases)and a control group(50 cases)using the random number table method,and the enrollment was in order of admission time.The control group used conventional treatment of oral antidepressant Deanxit tablets(0.5 mg flupenthixol+10 mg melitracen)with the dose appropriately adjusted according to the patient’s medication effect,and modern rehabilitation treatment given selectively according to the patient’s condition.The experimental group had similar treatment as the control group with the addition of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)acupuncture combined with emotional intervention.The application effects of both groups before and after treatment were verified using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(Ham-D),National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS),and Activities of Daily Living(ADL),serotonin levels were measured,and statistical analyses were carried out.Results:The total effective rate of patients in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group,and the Ham-D score,NIHSS score,ADL score,and serotonin level after treatment were significantly higher than those in the control group,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:For patients with PSD,adding TCM acupuncture with emotional intervention on top of conventional treatment significantly improve the clinical efficacy and better improve the daily life ability of patients.

Outcomes of the effect of exercise on cognitive function in patients with depression:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder is a common mental disorder,characterized by a high rate of suicide and recurrence,which is frequently accompanied by cognitive impairments,particularly in executive function,memory,attention,and infor-mation processing speed.As such,improving the cognitive function in patients with depression and enhancing their quality of life are urgent issues.AIM To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of exercise on cognitive function in patients with depression.METHODS The PubMed,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,Embase,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Medical,VIP,and Biomedical Databases for randomized controlled trials(RCTs)databases were searched(from inception to October 19,2023)for studies investigating improvements in cognitive function in patients with depression through exercise.Tools recommended by the Cochrane Handbook for RCT evaluation,and GRADEpro and Stata17 software,were employed for risk of bias assessment,evidence grading,forest plot construction,subgroup and sensitivity analyses,and assessment of publication bias.RESULTS Seventeen RCTs(1173 patients with depression)were included.Exercise had a small but significant positive effect on attention,with an effect size of 0.21,95%CI:0.07-0.34,P<0.01.Specifically,aerobic exercise regimens of 30-60 minute/session,thrice a week,at moderate intensity,and sustained over 3-12 weeks,were associated with the most pronounced benefits(P<0.05),with effect sizes for executive function,memory,and information processing speed of 0.11,95%CI:-0.11-0.32,P=0.34;0.08,95%CI:0.00-0.16,P=0.05;and 0.14,95%CI:0.04-0.25,P=0.01,respectively.The evidence levels for attention,information processing speed,and memory were rated as'low,’whereas that for executive function was rated as'very low’.CONCLUSION Exercise could improve attention and information-processing speed in patients with depression,although improvements in executive function and memory are not significant.

Early screening for post-stroke depression and its effect on functional outcomes, quality of life, and mortality: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Post-stroke depression(PSD)is a common and debilitating condition affecting stroke survivors,significantly impacting their recovery and overall quality of life.AIM To assess the effects of early PSD screening on functional outcomes,quality of life,and mortality.METHODS From an initial pool of 1065 articles,6 studies met the inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis.Functional outcomes were measured using the functional independence measure(FIM).RESULTS The analysis revealed a significant improvement in FIM scores for a PSD scree-ning group compared to controls[standardized mean difference(SMD)=8.90,95%confidence interval(CI):4.65-13.15,P<0.01].Quality of life was assessed using the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale,with the screening group showing significantly higher scores(SMD=20.83,95%CI:15.27-26.38,P<0.01).Mortality analysis indicated a reduction in five-year mortality rates for the PSD screening group.CONCLUSION Early PSD screening enhances functional recovery,improves quality of life,and reduces mortality rates in stroke survivors.Thus,integrating PSD screening into routine stroke care improves long-term outcomes for patients.

Link between irritable bowel syndrome,depression,and colorectal cancer risk in young patients:Age-matched nationwide populationbased study

BACKGROUND There exists a link between irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)and depression.Similarly,chronic depression is known to increase the risk of cancer in general.In this population-based analysis,we investigated the prevalence and the odds of colorectal cancer(CRC)in young-depressed patients with IBS.AIM To investigate the relationship between IBS and CRC in young,depressed patients using a nationally representative United States inpatient sample.METHODS The 2019 National Inpatient Sample was used to identify young(18-44 years)patients admitted with comorbid depression in the presence vs absence of IBS using relevant International Classification of Diseases,Tenth Revision,Clinical Modification codes.Primary endpoint was the prevalence and odds of CRC in age matched(1:1)youngdepressed cohort hospitalized with IBS(IBS+)vs without IBS(IBS-).Multivariable regression analysis was performed adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTS Age-matched(1:1)young-depressed IBS+(83.9%females,median age 36 years)and IBS-(65.8%females,median age 36 years)cohorts consisted of 14370 patients in each group.IBS+cohort had higher rates of hypertension,uncomplicated diabetes,hyperlipidemia,obesity,peripheral vascular disease,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,hypothyroidism,prior stroke,prior venous thromboembolism,anxiety,bipolar disorder,and borderline personality disorder(P<0.005)vs the IBS-cohort.However,prior myocardial infarction,acquired immunodeficiency syndrome,dementia,smoking,alcohol abuse,and drug abuse(P<0.005)are high in IBS-cohort.The rate of CRC was comparable in both cohorts[IBS+n=25(0.17%)vs IBS-n=35(0.24%)].Compared to the IBS-cohort,the odds ratio(OR)of developing CRC was not significantly higher[OR 0.71,95% confidence interval(CI)0.23-2.25]in IBS+cohort.Also,adjusting for baseline sociodemographic and hospital characteristics and relevant comorbidities,the OR was found to be non-significant(OR 0.89,95%CI 0.21-3.83).CONCLUSION This nationwide propensity-matched analysis revealed comparable prevalence and risk of CRC in youngdepressed patients with vs without IBS.Future large-scale prospective studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of depression and its treatment on CRC risk and outcomes in IBS patients.

Research Progress on the Depression Status and Nursing Intervention in Patients after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)is an effective treatment method for myocardial ischemic necrosis.Postoperative depression caused by PCI stress will adversely affect the prognosis of patients.This article reviews the current status and influencing factors of postoperative depression after PCI and summarizes the corresponding nursing interventions,to provide a literature reference to implement effective nursing interventions for depressed patients after clinical PCI.

CLINICAL STUDY ON THE TREATMENT OF POST-STROKE DEPRESSION WITH ELECTROACUPUNCTURE OF “NIWAN BAZHEN” POINTS

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture （EA） of ＂Niwan Bazhen＂ points in the treatment of post-stroke depression. Methods A total of 66 post-stroke depression patients were randomized into treatment group （EA＋oral administration of Prozac-20, n =31 ） and control group （o- ral administration of Prozac-20, 20 mg/d, 28 days altogether, n =30）. For patients of treatment group, EA （2/100 Hz, a tolerable stimulation strength） was applied to ＂Niwan Bazhen＂ points [Baihui （百会 GV20）, etc. ] for 30 min, once daily, （except weekends） continuously for one month. Halmiton Rating Scale （HAMD） for Depression and Chinese Scale for Stroke （CSS） were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect. Results After the treatment, of the 30 and 31 cases in control and treatment groups, 4 and 6 were cured, 10 and 14 experienced marked improvement.in their symptoms, 6 and 7 had an improvement, 6 and 4 failed, with the cure＋ markedly effective rates being 46.7% and 64.5% respectively. The therapeutic effect of treatment group was significantly superior to that of control group （ P〈0.05）. The decreased values of both HAMD and C,,SS of treatment group were remarkably lower than those of control group （P〈0.01,0.05） . Conclusion EA of ＂Niwan Bazhen＂ points is an effective remedy for post-stroke depression.

The effects of Xingnao Jieyu capsules on post-stroke depression are similar to those of fluoxetine

The Xingnao Jieyu capsule has been shown to effectively relieve neurologic impairments and les- sen depression. It remains poorly understood whether this capsule can be used to treat post-stroke depression. Thus, in the present study, we established a rat model of post-stroke depression using left middle cerebral artery occlusions in combination of chronic unpredictable stress and solitary housing during development. Experimental rats received intragastric perfusion with 0.82, 0.41, and 0.20 g/kg Xingnao Jieyu capsules separately dissolved in 2 mL distilled water. Fluoxetine served as a positive control. The treatment was conducted over 28 days. Sugar water consumption test, open-field test, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical staining results demonstrated that intragastric perfusion with various doses of Xingnao Jieyu capsules increased sugar water consumption, voluntary behaviors and synaptotagmin mRNA and protein expression in rats with post-stroke depression. These therapeutic effects were similar to those of fluoxetine. These results indicate that Xingnao Jieyu capsules upregulate synaptotagmin expression in hip pocampi of rats with post-stroke depression, and exert antidepressant effects.

miR-137, a new target for post-stroke depression?

Expression of miR-137 is downregulated in brain tissue from patients with depression and suicidal behavior, and is also downregulated in peripheral blood from stroke patients. However, it is not yet known if miR-137 acts as a bridge between stroke and depression. To test this, we used middle cerebral artery occlusion and chronic mild stress to establish a post-stroke depression model in rats. Compared with controls, we found significantly lower miR-137 levels in the brain and peripheral blood from post-stroke depression rats. Injection of a miR-137 antagonist into the brain ventricles upregulated miR-137 levels, and improved behavioral changes in post-stroke depression rats. Luciferase assays showed miR-137 bound to the 3＇UTR of Grin2A, regulating Grin2A expression in a neuronal cell line. Grin2A gene overexpression in the brain of post-stroke depression rats, no- ticeably suppressed the inhibitory effect of miR-137 on post-stroke depression. Overall, our results show that miR-137 suppresses Grin2A protein expression through binding to Grin2A mRNA, thereby exerting an inhibitory effect on post-stroke depression. Our results offer a new therapeutic direction for post-stroke depression.

Apolipoprotein E polymorphisms increase the risk of post-stroke depression

Recent reports have shown that apolipoprotein E （APOE） polymorphisms are involved in neurodegenerative disease. However, it is unclear whether APOE affects post-stroke depression. Accordingly, we hypothesized that APOE polymorphisms modify the risk of post-stroke depression. Here, we performed a hospital-based case-control study （including 76 cerebral infarction cases with post-stroke depression, 88 cerebral infarction cases without post-stroke depression, and 109 controls without any evidence of post-stroke depression or cerebral infarction） to determine possible association between APOE rs429358 and rs7412 polymorphisms and risk of post-stroke depression. Our findings show no difference among the groups with regards genotype distribution of the rs7412 polymorphism. In contrast, APOE genotypes with rs429358-C alleles increased the risk of post-stroke depression. Further, the rs429358 polymorphism was associated with significantly decreased regional cerebral blood flow values in the left temporal lobe of post-stroke depression cases. Additionally, the rs429358 polymorphism was not only associated with depression severity, but with increasing serum levels of total cholesterol. These resuits suggest that the APOE rs429358 polymorphism is associated with increased risk of developing post-stroke depression, and that APOE rs429358-C allele genotypes may be detrimental to recovery of nerve function after stoke. Indeed, these findings provide clinical data for future post-stroke depression gene interventions.

Electroacupuncture at the Wangu (GB 12) acupoint suppresses expression of inflammatory factors in the hippocampus and frontal lobe of rats with post-stroke depression

Electroacupuncture was performed at the Wangu （GB 12） acupoint, whose position is similar to the cerebellar fastigial nucleus in rats with post-stroke depression. Results showed that the expression of nuclear factor-κB and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β decreased. Simultaneously, the extent of edema in the hippocampus and frontal lobe decreased, and the morphology of the nerve cells recovered to near normal. In addition, fluoxetine treatment displayed a similar effect on post-stroke depression as electroacupuncture at GB 12 acupoint. The results indicate that electroacupuncture at GB 12 acupoint can reduce the levels of cytokines in the hippocampus and frontal lobe of rats with post-stroke depression, and thus provide a neuroprotective effect on post-stroke depression.

Frequency of Depression and Anxiety among Tuberculosis Patients

Objective: The aim of present study was to determine the frequency of depression and anxiety among tuberculosis patients. Methods: It was a descriptive study that had investigated the co-morbidity of depression and anxiety among tuberculosis patients with reference to gender. This study was conducted in Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre—Chest ward (TB clinic) from July 2014 to September 2014. Hundred diagnosed patients of tuberculosis (50 males and 50 females) were randomly selected. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) were used to assess the level of anxiety and depression. Results: Findings indicated that 56% tuberculosis (TB) patients had moderate to severe level of depression, whereas 65% TB patients had moderate to severe level of anxiety. Female patients had significantly high prevalence of depression as compared to males (t = –2.173, P –3.468, P Conclusion: Likelihood of depression and anxiety was frequent in tuberculosis patients. However, better management of these psychiatric morbidities may improve treatment adherence, illness perception and patient coping skills.

Coping Styles and Depression among Patients with Solid Organ Cancers Attending Two Tertiary Care Hospitals of Karachi: A Cross Sectional Study

Cancer undoubtedly affects patients in all aspects. Cancer diagnosis is a stressful event and coping is the primary mechanism used to adjust and counteract the stress. This study aims to assess the coping styles and prevalence of depression among solid organ cancer patients during treatment phase, attending two tertiary care hospitals of Karachi. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among solid organ cancer patients at Aga Khan University Hospital and Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center. Coping and depression were assessed by Brief COPE and Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) 20 respectively. Purposive sampling technique was used to recruit 488 patients. Coping styles are reported as mean ± SD. Prevalence has been computed for depression and Chi-square test is used to assess the relationship of depression with different variables. Correlation was assessed for coping styles and depression. The frequently used coping styles were active coping, acceptance, religion and self-distraction. 48.4% depression was estimated among patients. The significantly positive correlation of depression was found with active coping, planning, self-blame, venting, use of emotional support and substance use. While depression correlated negatively with acceptance, religion, self-distraction and humor. Depression was significantly associated with study sites, age, socioeconomic quintiles, past history of hospitalization and substance use. Our research addressed the missing element of mental health in oncology. Depression is a common mental ailment and often the initial manifestation towards deterioration of mental health. Each cancer patient copes differently which either promotes or hinders their fighting spirit. Hence, mental health screening and counseling are recommended in the treatment protocol of cancer patients. Also, support group interventions can help cancer patients to cope effectively.

Clinical Observation of Huatanjieyu Granule in the Treatment of Post-stroke Depression

[Objectives]To observe the clinical effect of Huatanjieyu granule on patients with post-stroke depression.[Methods]Total 76 patients with confirmed post-stroke depression were randomly divided into two groups(treatment group and control group)according to the double-blind principle.The treatment group(38 cases)was treated with Huatanjieyu granule combined with escitalopram,and the control group(38 cases)was treated with escitalopram alone.The course of treatment was 6 weeks.Through clinical efficacy,Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD)and Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale(TESS)scores were compared,and blood,liver function,renal function and electrocardiogram were examined.[Results]The scores of HAMD and TESS in patients with post-stroke depression were significantly decreased by Huatanjieyu granule,and there were no obvious side effects.The total effective rate was 92.1%in the treatment group and 76.3%in the control group.There was significant difference between the two groups(P<0.01).[Conclusions]Huatanjieyu granule was effective in the treatment of post-stroke depression with little side effects and was easy to be accepted by patients.

CLINICAL STUDY ON ACUPUNCTURE IN THE TREATMENT OF POST-STROKE DEPRESSION WITH THE METHOD OF ACTIVATING THE DU MERIDIAN AND CLEARING THE MIND

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture in the treatment of post-stroke depression (PSD) with the method of activating the Du Meridian and clearing the mind. Methods: Two hundred and thirty one cases of PSD were randomly divided into two groups, acupuncture and control groups. In acupuncture group, Baihui (百会 GV 20), Dazhui (大椎 GV 14), Neiguan (内关 PC 6), Taichong (太冲 LR 3) and Shenmen (神门 HT 7) were selected as the main points to invigorate flow of qi in the Du Meridian and clear the mind. Patients in the control group received Fluoxetine orally, 20 mg once per-day. In addition, the same routine treatments were given to both groups, strengthened with rehabilitation exercises as early as possible; 8 weeks constituted one therapeutic course. HAMD and severity of neuro-functional defect of each case were evaluated before and 8-week after the treatment. Results: The total effective rate of acupuncture group was 92.37%, the control group, 72.88%. According to χ2 test, the difference between the two groups was remarkably significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture therapy of activating the Du Meridian and clearing the mind in the treatment of PSD was safe and effective.