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Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in child and adolescent patients in the Czech Republic. Methods We conducted a mail questionnaire survey among Czech facilities associated with the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and university hospitals with inpatient psychiatric wards, focused on the practice of ECT between 2013 and 2017 in patients younger than 18 years. Results Of 18 approached facilities, 13 had access to ECT, and only 6 used ECT on 16 patients. The most common diagnosis was schizophrenia or related disorders (68.75% of patients), and the most common reason for ECT was catatonic symptoms (37.5%). The most common ECT methodology was bitemporal electrode placement with brief-pulse current (62.5%). In 2 patients, ECT was terminated because of ineffectiveness and in 1 patient because of adverse reaction. In other patients, ECT ended after achieving a clinical effect. The most common adverse effect was transient memory impairment in a quarter of the patients. The number of pharmacological treatment attempts before ECT significantly correlated with hospitalization length. Conclusions The utilization of ECT among children and adolescents was low. It was usually used in severe conditions after several pharmacological treatment attempts, which may indicate reluctance among providers to use this modality. A number of pharmacological attempts were associated with longer hospitalizations. In the majority of patients, ECT was effective and safe. On the other hand, the monitoring of cognitive adverse effects was insufficient and could be improved.

Objectives: The bipolar affective disorder (BAD) pathophysiology is multifactorial and has not been fully clarified. Method: We measured selected mitochondrial parameters in peripheral blood components. The analyses were performed for patients suffering from a manic episode during remission and were compared to those performed for healthy controls. BAD was clinically evaluated using well-established diagnostic scales and questionnaires. Mitochondrial respiration was examined in intact and permeabilized blood platelets using high-resolution respirometry. The citrate synthase (CS) and electron transport system (ETS) complex (complex I, II, and IV) activities were examined in platelets. Results: The CS, complex II and complex IV activities were decreased in the BAD patients, complex I activity was increased, and the ratio of complex I to CS was significantly increased. In the intact platelets, respiration after complex I inhibition and residual oxygen consumption were decreased in the BAD patients compared to the healthy controls. In the permeabilized platelets, a decreased ETS capacity was found in the BAD patients. No significant differences were found between BAD patients in mania and remission. Conclusion: Increased complex I activity can be a compensatory mechanism for decreased CS and complex II and IV activities. We conclude that complex I and its abnormal activity contribute to defects in cellular energy metabolism during a manic episode and that the deficiency in the complex's functioning, but not the availability of oxidative phosphorylation substrates, seems to be responsible for the decreased ETS capacity in BAD patients. The observed parameters can be further evaluated as ‘trait’ markers of BAD.

BackgroundThis study examined the proximate causes of psychotic patients’ aggression upon the admission to the psychiatric wards of a university and two state hospitals.MethodsThe authors used a semistructured interview to elicit proximate causes of assaults from the assailants and victims. The treating psychiatrists and nurses provided additional information. Based on this interview, aggressive episodes were categorized as psychotic, impulsive and planned.ResultsA total of 820 assaults committed by 289 newly admitted violent psychotic inpatients were evaluated. The interview ratings indicated that 76.71% of the assaults were directly driven by psychotic symptoms and 22.32% of all attacks were labeled as impulsive. Only 0.98% of assaults were categorized as planned.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that assaultive behavior among recently admitted acute psychiatric inpatients with untreated or undertreated psychosis is primarily driven by psychotic symptoms and disordered impulse control. Because each type of assault requires a different management, identifying the type of assault is crucial in determining treatment interventions.

The safety and efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients with a brain tumor have been debated in the past without a clear conclusion. In the last large review published by Maltbie et al. in 1980, it was concluded that the presence of an intracranial mass should be considered an absolute contraindication to ECT. In our updated review, we investigated a total of 33 published and indexed case reports, case report series, and reviews of 75 individual patients who underwent ECT in the presence of a brain tumor over the last 80 years. Mounting case reports after the original Maltbie et al. review show that it is feasible to apply this method safely in patients with benign or otherwise clinically insignificant lesions. Certain precautionary measures, such as dexamethasone or phenytoin application before ECT, could lead to a further minimalization or even absence of adverse effects, particularly in higher risk individuals.

Background In the region of Central and Eastern Europe, long-term departments at psychiatric hospitals provide a large proportion of the care for people with complex mental health needs. The System of United Psychiatric Rehabilitation (S.U.P.R.) project focussed on the implementation of a complex set of interventions of psychosocial rehabilitation to increase the quality of care. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the S.U.P.R. psychosocial rehabilitation programme on the quality of care at the longer-term inpatient psychiatric departments. Methods All 12 psychiatric hospitals in the Czech Republic were asked to participate in the study. A 'before and after' design was adopted to evaluate the impact of the S.U.P.R. programme. Quality of care was assessed using the internationally validated, web-based tool, QuIRC (Quality Indicator for Rehabilitative Care), which provides percentage scores (0-100%) on seven domains of care and an overall mean quality score. Results Fourteen long-term wards of 12 psychiatric hospitals for adults in the Czech Republic participated in the S.U.P.R. project. The mean total QuIRC scores were relatively low at the start of the project (range 33% to 53%) but all domain scores increased two years after the S.U.P.R. programme was implemented (range 44% to 62%). Staff feedback was generally positive about the programme, but inadequate staffing was an impediment to its success. Conclusion Implementing a modern concept for psychosocial rehabilitation aimed at progressing the recovery of people with complex mental health problems can improve the quality of care in longer term inpatient settings.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess sociodemographic factors and factors connected with treatment of mental illness and to decide whether they can influence the level of self-stigma. Method: Sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, family status, level of employment, level of education) and characteristics related to illness and treatment (diagnosis, length of treatment, adherence to treatment) were gathered in a group of patients in stable mental condition, without acute symptoms of mental illness. Self-stigma was measured using the Self-stigma of Mental Illness Scale – short form (SSMIS-SF). Results: The sample included 197 patients: 99 patients in group 1 (G1) with psychosis and 98 in group 2 (G2) with anxious and affective disorders. The average age was 44.15 ± 12.91 years, the length of illness was 11.67 ± 9.21 years and 48% of patients were men. The total average SSMIS-SF score was 61.54 ± 23.34. We found no statistically significant difference in the total level of self-stigmatisation between these groups ( t(197) = 0.77; p = .441). The level of self-stigmatisation (total score of SSMIS-SF) in patients in G1 (psychosis) increased with the length of illness r(99) = .253; p = .011. Employment status seems to correlate with the level of self-stigmatisation ( F(3, 184) = 5.27; p = .002). Patients unemployed and on disability pension had higher levels of self-stigmatisation than patients working full-time. Patients who took medication regularly (full medical adherence) had lower scores of SSMIS-SF total scores in comparison with patients with lower compliance ( t(195) = 3.476; p = .001; Cohen’s d = .25). Conclusion: According to our results, with regard to the factors that were followed, self-stigmatisation correlates with the presence of employment (social inclusion), duration of illness in patients with psychosis and treatment adherence. We did not find a statistically significant influence of age, gender, marital status or clinical diagnosis on the level of self-stigma.

Martina Zvéřová,1 Jana Hroudová,1,2 Zdeněk Fišar,1 Hana Hansíková,3 Lucie Kališová,1 Eva Kitzlerová,1 Alena Lambertová,1 Jiří Raboch1 1Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 120 00 Prague 2, Czech Republic; 2Institute of Pharmacology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 128 00 Prague 2, Czech Republic; 3Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, 120 00 Prague 2, Czech Republic Background: Mitochondrial dysfunctions are implicated in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. We measured and examined the following selected mitochondrial parameters: citrate synthase (CS) activity, electron transport system (ETS) complex (complexes I, II, and IV) activities, and mitochondrial respiration in blood platelets. Patients and methods: The analyses were performed for 24 patients suffering from a depressive episode of bipolar affective disorder (BD), compared to 68 patients with MDD and 104 healthy controls. BD and unipolar depression were clinically evaluated using well-established diagnostic scales and questionnaires. Results: The CS, complex II, and complex IV activities were decreased in the depressive episode of BD patients; complex I and complex I/CS ratio were significantly increased compared to healthy controls. We observed significantly decreased complex II and CS activities in patients suffering from MDD compared to controls. Decreased respiration after complex I inhibition and increased residual respiration were found in depressive BD patients compared to controls. Physiological respiration and capacity of the ETS were decreased, and respiration after complex I inhibition was increased in MDD patients, compared to controls. Increased complex I activity can be a compensatory mechanism for decreased CS and complex II and IV activities. Conclusion: We can conclude that complex I and its abnormal activity contribute to the defects in cellular energy metabolism during a depressive episode of BD. The observed parameters could be used in a panel of biomarkers that could selectively distinguish BD depression from MDD and can be easily examined from blood elements. Keywords: affective disorder, biomarker, oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial enzyme, platelet

BackgroundThe absence of economic evidence hinders current reforms of hospital-based mental health systems in central and eastern Europe. We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of discharge to community care for people with chronic psychoses compared with care in psychiatric hospitals in the Czech Republic.MethodsWe did a prospective study of people aged 18–64 years with chronic psychotic disorders in the Czech Republic who had been discharged into community services or were receiving inpatient psychiatric care for at least 3 months at baseline. We measured health-related quality of life with the EuroQol five-dimension five-level questionnaire. Adjusting for baseline differences between the two groups, we assessed differences in societal costs in 2016 and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) during a 12-month follow-up, which we then used to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). We did multiple sensitivity analyses to assess the robustness of our results.FindingsIn our baseline case scenario, we included 115 patients who were either community service users (n=35) or inpatients (n=80) at baseline. The two groups were similar in terms of baseline characteristics. The annual QALY was 0·77 in patients receiving community care at baseline compared with 0·80 in patients in hospital at baseline (difference 0·03, 95% CI −0·04 to 0·10), but the costs of discharge to the community were €8503 compared with €16 425 for no discharge (difference €7922, 95% CI 4497–11 346), such that the ICER reached more than €250 000 per QALY. This ICER is substantially higher than levels that are conventionally considered to be cost-effective and the estimated probability that discharge to the community was cost-effective was very high (≥97%). None of the sensitivity analyses changed these results qualitatively.InterpretationThis study provides economic evidence for deinstitutionalisation by showing that discharge to community care is cost-effective compared with care in psychiatric hospitals in the Czech Republic. These findings add to the human rights and clinical-based arguments for mental health-care reforms in central and eastern Europe.FundingMinistry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic; EEA and Norway Grants.

Lucie Kalisova, Marketa Kubinova, Jiri Michalec, Jakub Albrecht, Katerina Madlova, Jiri Raboch Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment method for severe mental illnesses. ECT has gone through significant modernization. Side effects of ECT have largely decreased. Temporary disturbance of cognitive performance can be still present as a side effect of electroconvulsive treatment. Methods: Cognitive functioning in the sample of patients with severe and acute mental illness treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was assessed. Basic assessment of cognitive functions was applied in the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of ECT course treatment with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Complex and detailed testing of cognitive functions using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was done at two points in time – within the first week of and then 6weeks after the end of ECT. Results: Participants had cognitive deficits at baseline, which were most likely influenced markedly by the psychopathology of the illness itself. The improvement in cognition came together with the reduction in psychopathology; psychopathology scores were significantly reduced during ECT treatment. Compared to the baseline, all scores for cognitive testing were significantly improved but remained low in comparison with the controls. After 6weeks, there was further significant improvement. Conclusion: Our results confirm the safety and efficacy of ECT in the treatment of severe mental disorders. Keywords: electroconvulsive therapy, cognition, side effects, MCCB

It is suggested that limited access to appropriate care forces psychiatric patients towards forensic treatment or to the prison system. According to our data, the number of prisoners, the number of hospitalized psychiatric patients (from 1987 to 2007), the number of court ordered forensic treatments in the Czech Republic (from 1991 to 2007), and the rate of people in psychiatric and sex offender forensic treatment has remained constant. However, an increase (162%) in number of treatments imposed for abusing illicit drugs did occur during this period. This increase contributed to the correlation between both the number of sentences given for protective treatment and the number of all sentenced persons (Pearson cor. 0.647, p < 0,001) and the number of prisoners (Pearson cor. 0.798, p < 0,001). The analysis of all admissions to a forensic facility from a catchment area of 1,260,318 inhabitants shows no increase in number of admission between 2002 and 2007. The same data prove that the number of patients ordered to psychiatric and sexology treatment remained steady and did not reflect changes in the number of prisoners or number of hospitalized patients. This could be explained by a high number of psychiatric hospitalizations protecting the patients from deteriorating to criminal behaviour.

We investigated the kinetic parameters of serotonin (5-HT) uptake into platelets in a group of 26 drug-naive patients suffering from major depression before and after 3–7 weeks of treatment with citalopram. The degree of depression was rated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). The 5-HT uptake characteristics in untreated depressive patients were not significantly different from those of normal subjects. The apparent Michaelis constant ( K M ) was significantly increased, the apparent maximal velocity ( V max ) was not different from baseline, and the uptake efficiency ( V max / K M ) was significantly decreased after citalopram treatment. A significantly positive correlation between K M and V max was found in all groups. There was a significantly lower V max and V max / K M in the female compared with the male depressed patients before citalopram treatment; a hypothesis was supported that lowered 5-HT uptake may reflect a gender-linked vulnerability to a serotonin-related depression. A significant negative correlation between 5-HT uptake efficiency and the initial HDRS score suggests that platelet 5-HT uptake can be used as a marker of effective depressive disorder pharmacotherapy. The initial severity of depression was significantly negatively correlated with V max , which supported a hypothesis that the initial severity of depressive disorder could be related to the lower V max .

This study aims to identify whether selected patient and ward-related factors are associated with the use of coercive measures. Data were collected as part of the EUNOMIA international collaborative study on the use of coercive measures in ten European countries. Involuntarily admitted patients (N = 2,027) were divided into two groups. The first group (N = 770) included patients that had been subject to at least one of these coercive measures during hospitalization: restraint, and/or seclusion, and/or forced medication; the other group (N = 1,257) included patients who had not received any coercive measure during hospitalization. To identify predictors of use of coercive measures, both patients’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and centre-related characteristics were tested in a multivariate logistic regression model, controlled for countries’ effect. The frequency of the use of coercive measures varied significantly across countries, being higher in Poland, Italy and Greece. Patients who received coercive measures were more frequently male and with a diagnosis of psychotic disorder (F20–F29). According to the regression model, patients with higher levels of psychotic and hostility symptoms, and of perceived coercion had a higher risk to be coerced at admission. Controlling for countries’ effect, the risk of being coerced was higher in Poland. Patients’ sociodemographic characteristics and ward-related factors were not identifying as possible predictors because they did not enter the model. The use of coercive measures varied significantly in the participating countries. Clinical factors, such as high levels of psychotic symptoms and high levels of perceived coercion at admission were associated with the use of coercive measures, when controlling for countries’ effect. These factors should be taken into consideration by programs aimed at reducing the use of coercive measures in psychiatric wards.

Objective: Involuntary treatment in mental health care is a sensitive but rarely studied issue. This study was part of the European Evaluation of Coercion in Psychiatry and Harmonization of Best Clinical Practice (EUNOMIA) project. It assessed and compared the use of coercive measures in psychiatric inpatient facilities in ten European countries. Methods: The sample included 2,030 involuntarily admitted patients. Data were obtained on coercive measures (physical restraint, seclusion, and forced medication). Results: In total, 1,462 coercive measures were used with 770 patients (38%). The percentage of patients receiving coercive measures in each country varied between 21% and 59%. The most frequent reason for prescribing coercive measures was patient aggression against others. In eight of the countries, the most frequent measure used was forced medication, and in two of the countries mechanical restraint was the most frequent measure used. Seclusion was rarely administered and was reported in only six countries. A diagnosis of schizophrenia and more severe symptoms were associated with a higher probability of receiving coercive measures. Conclusions: Coercive measures were used in a substantial group of involuntarily admitted patients across Europe. Their use appeared to depend on diagnosis and the severity of illness, but use was also heavily influenced by the individual country. Variation across countries may reflect differences in societal attitudes and clinical traditions. (Psychiatric Services 61: 1012-1017, 2010)

AimsTo find out how the use of ECT in psychiatry is perceived by the public in the Czech Republic.MethodThe questionnaire (8 questions monitoring awareness, knowledge of ECT and its use in modern psychiatry) created for the purpose of this study was shared through internet and also distributed in paper version to public.ResultsThe sample consists of 365 respondents – age average 28.9 years, 62% of females, 53% of university graduates, 44% with secondary education, 3% other education, 27% of healthcare professionals outside the field of psychiatry, 20% of medical students before the start of the traineeship at psychiatry, 53% of the public. Among the respondents, 98% have heard about ECT, 7% of them think that ECT is no longer used. Among the respondents, 62% learned about ECT from the media (film, print). Among the respondents, 22% do not believe in the effectiveness of ECT, 30% think that ECT is abused by psychiatrists, 86% believe that ECT has side effects (personality changes, permanent memory disorders, brain damage, epilepsy). Among the respondents, 77% would agree with ECT, if it should be applied to their relative.DiscussionECT is an effective method in treating of severe mental disorders. But until now the public view is influenced by media. Due to the negative stereotype of the method many people are afraid of this treatment. The interesting fact is that also health professionals and medical students are influenced by public stigma of ECT.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

AimThe aim of this study was to monitor the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the Czech Republic for the purpose of harmonizing national practice.MethodA 13-item questionnaire was sent to all Czech inpatient psychiatric facilities. This questionnaire assessed technical background of ECT, indications for the treatment, procedure in detail, way of documentation and monitoring of side effects.ResultsECT is used 23 centers (10 psychiatric hospitals, 5 university psychiatric departments and 8 psychiatric wards) across the Czech Republic. There is no special legal act regulating the use of ECT in the CR, but there are guidelines issued by the Czech Psychiatric Society available. All centers use instruments delivering brief pulse stimuli. All patients have to be indicated for this treatment and have to sign inform consent form/excluding situation when patient's life is endangered/. Somatic state is assessed/EKG, blood tests, eye check-up regularly and other examinations in individual cases/. Thiopenthal and succinylcholine are used most often for anesthesia and myorelaxation. Bitemporal electrode placement is the preferred option in all centers. The ECT is provided 2–4 times a week in special ECT rooms in the presence of staff team/psychiatrist, anesthetist, psychiatric and anesthesiological nurses/. Continuation ECT and outpatient ECT is not used. The procedure including side effects is documented in individual patient's documentation, but summarizing documentation is conducted only in some centers.ConclusionECT is widely used in the Czech Republic. Procedures in all centers follow national guidelines. There is need to improve documentation system to harmonize national practice.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Background Despite the recent increase of research interest in involuntary treatment and the use of coercive measures, gender differences among coerced schizophrenia patients still remain understudied. It is well recognized that there are gender differences both in biological correlates and clinical presentations in schizophrenia, which is one of the most common diagnoses among patients who are treated against their will. The extent to which these differences may result in a difference in the use of coercive measures for men and women during the acute phase of the disease has not been studied. Methods 291 male and 231 female coerced patients with schizophrenia were included in this study, which utilized data gathered by the EUNOMIA project (European Evaluation of Coercion in Psychiatry and Harmonization of Best Clinical Practice) and was carried out as a multi-centre prospective cohort study at 13 centers in 12 European countries. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, social functioning and aggressive behavior in patients who received any form of coercive measure (seclusion and/or forced medication and/or physical restraint) during their hospital stay were assessed. Results When compared to the non-coerced inpatient population, there was no difference in sociodemographic or clinical characteristics across either gender. However coerced female patients did show a worse social functioning than their coerced male counterparts, a finding which contrasts with the non-coerced inpatient population. Moreover, patterns of aggressive behavior were different between men and women, such that women exhibited aggressive behavior more frequently, but men committed severe aggressive acts more frequently. Staff used forced medication in women more frequently and physical restraint and seclusion more frequently with men. Conclusions Results of this study point towards a higher threshold of aggressive behavior the treatment of women with coercive measures. This may be because less serious aggressive actions trigger the application of coercive measures in men. Moreover coerced women showed diminished social functioning, and more importantly more severe symptoms from the “excitement/hostile” cluster in contrast to coerced men. National and international recommendation on coercive treatment practices should include appropriate consideration of the evidence of gender differences in clinical presentation and aggressive behaviors found in inpatient populations.

Modern psychiatry is still not able to avoid the use of coercive measures in spite of that there is an effort to minimalize its use. We present data monitoring the use of coercive measures in a group of more than 2000 involuntary admitted mentally ill patients from 10 european countries. Data were gathered during EUNOMIA international project. Our presentation mainly focuses on reasons and predictors of application of mechanical and chemical restraints and their prevention. coercive measures, involuntary admission, predictors, reasons.

Background The Czech Republic took part in the international EUNOMIA project, which pursued the application of coercive measures in psychiatric treatment. 5 – 35% of the patients with acute mental disorder are involuntarily admitted to psychiatric facilities in the Czech Republic. Previous reports showed that the majority of the patients in the Czech Republic feels to be admitted under duress of their family members, physicians and also the police. The subjective perception of the coercion is undoubtedly connected with an insufficient insight resulting from their illness. The aim of this presentation was to find out, in the group of involuntarily admitted patients, in which manner follow-up care proceeds after their release from the hospital, and to monitor, if any general pressure to adhere to the treatment exists.