East Asian Archives of Psychiatry : Official Journal of the Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that affects multiple organs. Neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) can manifest with a multitude of neurological and psychiatric symptoms. Psychosis is a rare NPSLE manifestation that can occur at any phase of the illness; 21% of SLE-related psychosis cases occur at the onset of SLE, but the evidence base for this is lacking. We report a case of acute-onset psychosis in a woman that led to a diagnosis of SLE, which was substantiated by physical evaluation and laboratory assessments...

Childhood epilepsy can masquerade as a variety of psychiatric disorders or behavioural abnormalities. Differentiating between simple partial seizure and psychiatric disorders remains a challenge. We report on three children with simple partial seizure, each presented atypically with migraine, tingling sensations, and/or crying spells. When dealing with atypical symptomatology, clinicians should utilise a multidirectional, rather than unidirectional, diagnostic approach when making their diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the 20-item Fear of Self Questionnaire (FSQ) in Iranian samples. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive survey design was used. Students in universities of Tehran were invited to participate. Participants were asked to complete the Persian versions of the FSQ, Vancouver Obsessional Compulsive Inventory (VOCI), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Ego Strength Scale (ESS), and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RES)...

BACKGROUND: Worldwide suicide rates have declined since 2000s, with China being the primary contributor. This study aimed to investigate whether urbanisation is associated with decreasing suicide rates in China. METHODS: Suicide rates and economic indicators of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions of China between 2005 and 2017 were analysed. Poisson random intercept models were used to determine associations between suicide rates, urbanicity, sexes, and gross regional product (GRP)...

OBJECTIVE: Anhedonia, commonly defined as a reduced ability to feel pleasure, is a core clinical symptom of late-life depression (LLD). Deficits in reward processing are hypothesised to be associated with anhedonia. We examined differences in reward sensitivity between patients with LLD and healthy controls and explored the associations between LLD-related symptomatology, global cognition, and the reward system. METHODS: The reward responsiveness of 63 patients with LLD and 58 healthy controls aged ≥60 years was assessed using the probabilistic reward learning task with an asymmetric reward schedule...

OBJECTIVE: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the second-most prevalent mental health condition in Vietnam. This study aims to validate the Vietnamese versions of the self-reported and clinician-rated Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR and QIDS-C, respectively) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and to assess the correlations between the QIDS-SR, QIDS-C, and PHQ-9. METHODS: 506 participants with MDD (mean age, 46.3 years; 55.5% women) were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5...

OBJECTIVE: Clozapine is a potent antipsychotic medication with a complex receptor profile. It is reserved for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. We systematically reviewed studies of non-psychosis symptoms of clozapine withdrawal. METHODS: CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched using the keywords 'clozapine,' and 'withdrawal,' or 'supersensitivity,' 'cessation,' 'rebound,' or 'discontinuation'. Studies related to non-psychosis symptoms after clozapine withdrawal were included...

INTRODUCTION: Community treatment orders (CTOs) enable patients to actively engage in mental health services while being supervised in the community outside the hospital setting. However, the efficacy of CTOs remains controversial in terms of mental health services usage or service contacts, emergency visits, and violence. METHODS: The databases PsychINFO, Embase, and Medline were searched on 11 March 2022 by 2 independent reviewers through the Covidence website (www...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Clozapine is considered the most effective antipsychotic for schizophrenia, but it can cause neutropenia and even agranulocytosis. We describe the first case in Hong Kong involving the use of filgrastim, a recombinant form of human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, to enable clozapine continuation therapy for a severely ill patient with treatment-resistant schizoaffective disorder who developed recurrent neutropenia after almost 20 years of continuous clozapine therapy. Therefore, clinical vigilance is important, regardless of clozapine treatment duration...

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to investigate depressive symptoms and its association with resilience, pessimistic bias of COVID-19, lifestyle changes, and family conflicts among undergraduates in a Hong Kong university. METHODS: 1020 undergraduates in The University of Hong Kong completed the online survey between May and August 2020. Severity of depressive symptoms was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale...

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether meaning in life (MIL) was associated with a lower risk of depression in people from low-income families during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Individuals from low-income families were recruited at a community centre during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Levels of MIL were assessed using the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). Severity of depressive symptoms was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)...

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review case reports of psychosis related to withdrawal or overdose of baclofen, which is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) B agonist. METHODS: PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsychINFO were searched to identify articles related to psychosis secondary to withdrawal or overdose of baclofen using the terms 'baclofen' and ' psychosis'. Comparisons were made between cases in terms of concomitant antipsychotic use, diagnosis of delirium, and evidence of association...

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 for personality disorders (SCID-5-PD) among patients referred to psychiatric centres in Iran. METHODS: Between March 2017 and June 2019, 287 outpatients and inpatients aged 16 to 75 years who were referred to three psychiatric centres in Tehran, Iran were invited to participate. Patients were interviewed using the Persian version of the SCID-5-PD by two PhD students in clinical psychology who were blinded to patient records...

OBJECTIVES: The study aims to examine the reliability and validity of the Personal Stigma Scale and the intrapersonal variables that affect the personal stigma level towards depression among university students in Singapore. METHODS: University students aged 18 to 24 years old who were literate in English were recruited using convenience sampling through online platforms. Participants' stigma towards depression was assessed using the Personal Stigma Scale. Each item of the scale was rated from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); higher scores indicate higher stigmatising attitudes...

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of depression and the sociodemographic factors associated with depression in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic METHODS. This study is part of the COVID-19 Mental Health International Study to collect data on the impact of the pandemic on mental health through an online survey. People who were aged ≥18 years, able to read Malay or English, had access to the internet, and consented to participate were asked to complete a pro forma questionnaire to collect their sociodemographic data...

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine factors associated with hesitation and motivation to work among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Indonesia, Philippines, and Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: HCWs aged ≥20 years working in five hospitals in Indonesia, Philippines, and Taiwan were invited to participate in a self-administered mental health survey between 30 January 2021 and 31 August 2021. The 33-item questionnaire measured HCWs' perceived stress, level of motivation and hesitation to work, attitude and confidence regarding work, attitude on the policies by the hospital and government, and discrimination against the occupation...

We describe a case of stress-induced haematohidrosis in a 14-year-old boy who responded well to stress management together with sertraline medication.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the Mental Health Youth Ambassador Programme between 2016 and 2019 in terms of participants' improvement in attitudes towards individuals with depression or psychosis. METHODS: This anti-stigma programme was provided to secondary students (form 3 and above) and comprised three levels. Level 1 involved attending lectures about mental health; level 2 and level 3 involved social contact with persons-in-recovery. Students' attitudes towards those with depression and those with psychosis were assessed at baseline and after completion of each level of programme using the Chinese version of the Social Distance Scale...

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with osteoporosis, cancer, and autoimmune disease; evidence on its association with depression remains controversial. During the COVID-19 pandemic, preventive measures lead to reduced outdoor time and sunlight exposure, which is the major source of vitamin D. This study aims to assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Thai medical students during the pandemic and to determine its association with depression. METHODS: Medical students of year 4 and year 5 rotating in the Srinakharinwirot University Hospital who had no diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency and had not taken vitamin D supplement in the past year were invited to participate...