RESUMEN
Tc-99m hexamethylpropylene amineoxime (HMPAO) was used to image cerebral perfusion changes in 20 patients with chronic schizophrenia (19 male and 1 female, aged 22-48, at an average age of 29.0). All were being given neuroleptic drugs. Twelve had electroconvulsive therapy. In addition, all had abnormal studies except one, who was normal and had a poor response to treatment. Ventricular dilatation and cerebral atrophy was seen in eleven patients, and 77 focal lesions were detected. Forty-two lesions demonstrated increased HMPAO retention, which was distributed as follows: 26 in the basal ganglia in 14 patients (12 bilateral, 2 unilateral); 10 along the sylvian fissure in the parietotemporal region; and 3 in the frontal and 1 in each of the temporal, parietal, and occipital regions. Thirty-five focal lesions exhibited decreased perfusion: ten parietal, eight frontal, seven temporal, six cerebellar, and four occipital lobes. This study demonstrates the potential value of Tc-99m HMPAO in schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders.
Asunto(s)
Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagen , Circulación Cerebrovascular/fisiología , Compuestos de Organotecnecio , Oximas , Esquizofrenia/diagnóstico por imagen , Adulto , Encéfalo/fisiopatología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Cintigrafía , Esquizofrenia/fisiopatología , Exametazima de Tecnecio Tc 99mRESUMEN
Two hundred and nineteen consecutive referrals to psychiatric consultation services from all general hospitals in Kuwait over a 3-month period were studied and compared with a control group of 100 patients who were not referred for psychiatric consultation. The two groups differed significantly in age, sex, marital status, employment, and past psychiatric treatment. Inpatients were more often referred than outpatients with an overall low referral rate of 0.3%. The department of general medicine referred 74.4% of patients in contrast to 11.4% referred by the department of general surgery. The most common reason for referral was for assessment of a suicide attempt in the inpatient group, and the absence of organic cause for patients' physical symptoms in the outpatient group. Acute situational disturbance that resulted in a suicide attempt was the most common psychiatric diagnosis (26%), followed by depressive illness (19.5%) and organic psychotic disorders (8.2%). Our findings are similar to those reported in the literature, and the present study suggests a national underutilization of psychiatric consultation services in general hospitals.
Asunto(s)
Comparación Transcultural , Trastornos Mentales/diagnóstico , Derivación y Consulta/estadística & datos numéricos , Rol del Enfermo , Adulto , Femenino , Hospitales Generales , Humanos , Kuwait , Masculino , Trastornos Mentales/psicología , Trastornos Mentales/terapia , Persona de Mediana Edad , Trastornos Neurocognitivos/diagnóstico , Trastornos Psicofisiológicos/diagnóstico , Trastornos Somatomorfos/diagnóstico , Prevención del SuicidioRESUMEN
Six patients who had delusional convictions that they were malodorous were followed up for between six months and four years. Difficulties encountered in clinical settings in differentiating overvalued ideas, delusions, and hallucinations arise from lack of clarity of psychopathological terminology. Schizophrenia and depression are closely related to the syndrome.
Asunto(s)
Deluciones/etiología , Odorantes , Trastornos Psicóticos/complicaciones , Adolescente , Adulto , Trastorno Depresivo/complicaciones , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Esquizofrenia Paranoide/complicacionesRESUMEN
A retrospective analysis of the in-patients' case notes of 55 chronic epileptics admitted for psychiatric treatment to Kuwait Psychological Medicine Hospital revealed that the commonest seizure type was generalized grand mal epilepsy. Adverse effects on marriage, education and occupation were common. It is concluded that epileptics are more prone to have social difficulties, and that their marital status and fertility are far from satisfactory. The findings of the present study are similar to those reported in the literature.
Asunto(s)
Comparación Transcultural , Epilepsia/psicología , Trastornos Neurocognitivos/psicología , Rol del Enfermo , Ajuste Social , Adaptación Psicológica , Adolescente , Adulto , Selección de Profesión , Femenino , Humanos , Kuwait , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Medio SocialRESUMEN
First admission rates to the psychiatric hospital in Kuwait revealed that foreign housemaids as a whole had about five times the rate of Kuwaiti females. According to hospital diagnoses the housemaids had significantly more acute situational disturbances and mania, and less depressive illness and organic mental disorders. Regarding schizophrenia and paranoid state there was no significant difference between the two groups. It is recommended that good interpreters should be appointed as part of an appropriate staffing of the psychiatric hospital.
Asunto(s)
Etnicidad/psicología , Tareas del Hogar , Trastornos Mentales/epidemiología , Migrantes/psicología , Adolescente , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Hospitalización , Hospitales Psiquiátricos , Humanos , Kuwait/epidemiología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Derivación y Consulta , Factores SexualesRESUMEN
One hundred and ninety four elderly subjects were studied, 133 of whom were living away from their families, in the only old people's home and in the only psychiatric hospital in Kuwait. They were compared to 61 consecutive elderly subjects attending a psychiatric out-patient clinic. Psychiatric, social and clinical characteristics of subjects admitted and those living with their families were analysed and related to recent socioeconomic changes and conditions prevailing in Kuwait. Higher admission rates were significantly related to female sex, the widowed and single status and Kuwaiti and Bedouin nationalities. Low income or housing problems, poor relationships to their families and/or relatives, absence of an interested family member, a small number of own children, referral by family members on account of disabilities, organic brain syndromes or chronic psychiatric disorder was also associated with higher admission rates. Sixty four percent of the residents of the old people's home had psychiatric illnesses in spite of the official policy of excluding the mentally ill from admission. Some of the above mentioned characteristics were similar to findings in other countries, but others e.g. the role of nationality and location of residence in admission to institutions were different. Planning social and medical services in Kuwait should take these findings into account.