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Background: Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the onset and course of bipolar disorder is influenced by environmental light conditions. Increased suppression of melatonin by light (supersensitivity) in patients with bipolar disorder has been postulated as an endopheno-type by several studies. However, due to methodological shortcomings, the results of these studies remain inconclusive. This study investigated melatonin suppression in euthymic patients with bipolar I disorder using evening blue light specifically targeting the melanopsin system. Methods: Melatonin suppression was assessed in euthymic patients with bipolar I disorder and healthy controls by exposure to monochromatic blue light ([[lambda].sub.max] = 475 nm; photon density = 1.6 * [10.sup.13] photons/[cm.sup.2]/s) for 30 minutes at 2300 h, administered via a ganzfeld dome for highly uniform light exposure. Serum melatonin concentrations were determined from serial blood sampling via radioimmunoassay. All participants received mydriatic eye drops and were genotyped for the PER3 VNTR polymorphism to avoid or adjust for potential confounding. As secondary outcomes, serum melatonin concentrations during dark conditions and after monochromatic red light exposure ([[lambda].sub.max] = 624 nm; photon density = 1.6 * [10.sup.13] photons/[cm.sup.2]/s) were also investigated. Changes in subjective alertness were investigated for all 3 lighting conditions. Results: A total of 90 participants (57 controls, 33 bipolar I disorder) completed the study. Melatonin suppression by monochromatic blue light did not differ between groups ([F.sub.1,80] = 0.56; p = 0.46). Moreover, there were no differences in melatonin suppression by monochromatic red light ([F.sub.1,82] = 1.80; p = 0.18) or differences in melatonin concentrations during dark conditions ([F.sub.1,74] = 1.16; p = 0.29). Healthy controls displayed a stronger increase in subjective alertness during exposure to blue light than patients with bipolar I disorder ([t.sub.85] = 2.28; p = 0.027). Limitations: Large interindividual differences in melatonin kinetics may have masked a true difference. Conclusion: Despite using a large cohort and highly controlled laboratory conditions, we found no differences in melatonin suppression between euthymic patients with bipolar I disorder and healthy controls. These findings do not support the notion that supersensitivity is a valid endophenotype in bipolar I disorder., Introduction Bipolar disorder is a severe mental disorder that has a significant negative impact on psychosocial functioning and quality of life; it is associated with high rates of suicide. There [...]

Objective: The study examines how successful the participation of people with mental illness and family members is currently in the development of psychiatric guidelines., Methods: Survey results of N=561 (Response 37%) guideline developers are analyzed., Results: Involvement of affected individuals succeeds more often than that of family members (61% vs. 55%). 68% felt that this participation was central to successful guideline development. 51% perceived discrepancies between empirical evidence and experience perspective. 33-36% perceived a lack of appreciation of experience expertise, 37% an insufficient representation and 46% an inequality in consensus building. 45% did not see barriers effectively removed., Conclusion: There remain challenges in the participation of people with mental illness and family members. There is an increasing awareness that their participation is central., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPG), which are crucial for evidence-based healthcare, should be kept up to date, especially on topics where emerging evidence could modify one of the recommendations with implications for the healthcare service; however, an updating process, which is practicable for guideline developers as well as users represents a challenge., Objective: This article provides an overview of the currently discussed methodological approaches for the dynamic updating of guidelines and systematic reviews., Material and Methods: As part of a scoping review, a literature search was conducted in the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE (via Ovid), Scopus, Epistemonikos, medRxiv, as well as in study and guideline registers. Concepts on the dynamic updating of guidelines and systematic reviews or dynamically updated guidelines and systematic reviews or their protocols published in English or German were included., Results: The publications included most frequently described the following main processes that must be adapted in dynamic updating processes 1) the establishment of continuously working guideline groups, 2) networking between guidelines, 3) the formulation and application of prioritization criteria, 4) the adaptation of the systematic literature search and 5) the use of software tools for increased efficiency and digitalization of the guidelines., Conclusion: The transformation to living guidelines requires a change in the needs for temporal, personnel and structural resources. The digitalization of guidelines and the use of software to increase efficiency are necessary instruments, but alone do not guarantee the realization of living guidelines. A process in which dissemination and implementation must also be integrated is necessary. Standardized best practice recommendations on the updating process are still lacking., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Outdated guidelines can cause inadequate care. To counter this problem a dynamic updating process for guidelines is being internationally discussed (living guidelines). This process has specific challenges. The rhythm of updating has to be determined and a priori criteria have to be defined, which indicate that a substantial change of the medical practice is needed in order to then update individual recommendations. Digital tools have to be identified that can support a dynamic updating. Their (further) development has to be oriented to the specific requirements and needs of the trialogically composed guideline development teams. Recommendations have to be examined from the user perspective. The current guideline development methods that are still divergent, have to be harmonized and specific needs with respect to the cross-linking of guidelines have to be taken into account. The German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN) supports and accompanies scientific projects dealing with the challenges of the dynamics of guideline development. From the first results of "Guide2Guide", a project funded by the Innovation Fund, it can be summarized that the development of living guidelines is a complex dynamic process that has only just started internationally and in Germany. It demands a special engagement of the guideline developers including representatives of patients and relatives, to responsibly work long term and flexibly. Digital tools can be useful in various process steps but at present they still have to be meaningfully linked into the process. Central elements of the development of S3 guidelines will continue to require substantial working time of the experts in the trialogue. In order for living guidelines to be actually used dissemination and implementation have to be integrated into the dynamic process., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: Since 2003 a new remuneration and care model has been implemented in currently 22 psychiatric clinics in Germany, which provides flexible and integrative treatment (FIT) across different settings of treatment, including assertive outreach care. The FIT is based on a global treatment budget covering costs for all psychiatric hospital services and is related to the number of patients treated per year. Previous research identified 11 program components that describe treatment structures and processes of FIT. The present analysis quantitatively compared FIT with standard care, aiming to validate these components., Methods: As part of the PsychCare study, grading according to FIT-specific components was carried out and comparatively analyzed in nine hospitals that used FIT and seven hospitals of standard care. The FIT models were examined in depth in subgroups, which were divided according to the share of the FIT model in the total hospital budget., Results: Of the 11 FIT program components 7 (flexible care management across settings, therapeutic group sessions across all settings, outreach home care, involvement of informal caregivers, accessibility of services, cooperation across sectors and expansion of professional expertise) showed a high statistical differentiation. These differences were even stronger in the subgroup of those hospitals that had a model contract with all health insurers., Conclusion: Specific components of FIT are suitable for evaluating the quality of implementation of intersectoral, flexible and outreach psychiatric care., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objective: Since 2013, flexible and integrative psychiatric treatment models (FIT64b) have been set up in 22 German hospitals. FIT64b is based on a global treatment budget (GTB) covering costs for all psychiatric hospital services and is related to the number of patients treated. As part of the "PsychCare"-study we are examining incentives, requirements and challenges which relate to the introduction of FIT64b., Methods: Expert interviews and focus groups (n = 29) were led with management and controlling staff from 7 FIT64b adopting hospitals and 3 statutory health insurance funds (SHI). A thematic analysis was conducted., Results: A central component for the introduction of a GTB is a cooperative relation based on mutual trust between hospitals and SHI. Challenging are, above all, performance documentation and performance control of cross-sectoral treatment as well as the parallel structure of FIT64b and standard care., Conclusion: Apart from several surmountable obstacles to implementation, the GTB seems to be a strong driver for the future-oriented transformation of psychiatric hospital services in Germany. In the further development of GTB, the obligation to contract with all SHI should be considered., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)