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Biomedical subjects

G S Ungvari

Publications and source records attributed to G S Ungvari.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

A survey of antipsychotic treatment for schizophrenia in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain information on prescription pattern of antipsychotic drugs for schizophrenic in-patients treated in public hospitals in Hong Kong. Four main areas of antipsychotic treatment are reported in this paper: (1) doses of antipsychotic drugs, (2) the practice of giving multiple antipsychotic agents simultaneously, (3) use of antipsychotics in divided daily doses and (4) co-administration of antipsychotic and antiparkinson drugs. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of prescriptions of antipsychotic medication for a representative sample of 957 schizophrenic in-patients was conducted on a randomly chosen census day. Questionnaire items included basic demographic and clinical data, as well as inventory for all medications received by patients on census day. RESULTS: The mean antipsychotic dose was 854 +/- 759 (median: 600; range) 0-4450) mg CPZeq. Over two-third of the patients were given more than drug concurrently while less than 20% received the medication in multiple divided doses. Antiparkinson drugs were prescribed with antipsychotic medication in 69.61%, of the subjects. There were few differences between acute and chronic patients with respect to their respective prescription patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Antipsychotic treatment of schizophrenic inpatients in Hong Kong is largely in accord with international standards. Problematic areas identified for closer scrutiny include the concurrent use of more than one antipsychotic drug for both acute and chronic patients, and the higher than recommended doses for antipsychotic drugs and frequent use of antiparkinson medication for chronic patients. Dissemination of these results, accompanied by continuing medical education about psychopharmacology, are planned to further improve the quality of treatment for schizophrenic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Psychotropic drug prescription in rehabilitation. A survey in Hong Kong.

Rational pharmacotherapy helping chronic psychiatric patients in the difficult process of reintegration into the community is an important prerequisite of successful rehabilitation. Results of a survey conducted at the opening of a rehabilitation facility in Hong Kong revealed a number of illogicalities in prescription patterns. Frequently encountered faulty treatment decisions incompatible with the recommendations of modern literature included polypharmacy, higher than necessary doses of anticholinergic antiparkinsonian agents and giving psychotropic drugs in inconveniently divided doses. With the newly emerging subspecialty of rehabilitation-community psychiatry in Hong Kong, it is expected that large numbers of chronically hospitalized patients will enter rehabilitation programmes. The present survey indicated that it is imperative to pay continued attention to their medication status.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A prospective outcome study of patients missing regular psychiatric outpatient appointments.

This paper describes a prospective follow-up study of defaulters of regular psychiatric outpatient appointments in Hong Kong. To establish outcome, 258 patients were traced 6 months after their non-attendance at a follow-up clinic. Results showed that 50% returned while the rest dropped out of treatment. The clinical and demographic variables, including employment, marriage, being seen by faculty rather than resident staff, a past history of default and shorter length of contact at the clinic studied (within a year), were all significant in predicting drop-out. There was a trend for those who reattended to have received a telephone reminder, to be a student and to be single. Out of the 129 drop-out patients, 84 were traced, 23 were admitted to hospital and 5 died. There were no deaths and only 5 patients required hospitalisation among the attenders. We concluded that active reengagement of psychiatric outpatient defaulters is required.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Shoplifting and robbery in a fugue state.

The case of a 26-year-old Chinese woman with a history of benzodiazepine dependence and shoplifting who committed an act of robbery is presented. The various aetiological factors implicated in this complicated case are discussed in the light of the recent literature.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Querulous paranoia in Chinese patients: a cultural paradox.

OBJECTIVE: There has been no reported case of querulous paranoia from the Asian population. A prospective study was undertaken to identify patients with querulous paranoia in an outpatient clinic. METHOD: One thousand, five hundred and fifty-one new referrals to a university-affiliated psychiatric outpatient clinic in Hong Kong were screened for querulous paranoia during routine clinical work. RESULTS: Three patients with querulous paranoia (0.19%) were identified during 1 year. The case histories of these three patients are reported. CONCLUSION: Possible reasons for the low reporting rate are discussed and the importance of sociocultural traditions in the development and recognition of querulous paranoia is emphasised.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

An audit study of defaulters of regular psychiatric outpatient appointments in Hong Kong.

This paper describes an audit study of general psychiatric outpatient defaulters in Hong Kong. Defaulters were increased among those who were married, unemployed, housewives, seen within one year, receiving medications and previously admitted to hospital. Clinical diagnoses (ICD-10 Axis-1) of the F1, F2, F3 and F7 groups were also associated with increased defaulting behaviour. However, fewer defaulters were found among those who were aged below 19, single, employed, students, and had diagnostic groups of F4 and F9. These results added new information on the non-attendance behavioral pattern of Chinese patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Psychopathology of catatonic speech disorders and the dilemma of catatonia: a selective review.

OBJECTIVE: Over the past decade there has been an upsurge of interest in the prevalence, nosological position, treatment response and pathophysiology of catatonia. However, the psychopathology of catatonia has received only scant attention. Once the hallmark of catatonia, speech disorders--particularly logorrhoea, verbigeration and echolalia--seem to have been neglected in modern literature. The aims of the present paper are to outline the conceptual history of catatonic speech disorders and to follow their development in contemporary clinical research. METHOD: The English-language psychiatric literature for the last 60 years on logorrhoea, verbigeration and echolalia was searched through Medline and cross-referencing. Kahlbaum, Wernicke, Jaspers, Kraepelin, Bleuler, Kleist and Leonhard's oft cited classical texts supplemented the search. RESULTS: In contrast to classical psychopathological sources, very few recent papers were found on catatonic speech disorders. Current clinical research failed to incorporate the observations of traditional descriptive psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Modern catatonia research operates with simplified versions of psychopathological terms devised and refined by generations of classical writers.

Catatonia↗
PubMed1995

The syndrome of lethal catatonia.

Lethal catatonia (LC) is a life-threatening neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with a host of psychiatric, neurologic and medical conditions. The clinical picture is characterised by fragmented psychotic symptoms, catatonic phenomena particularly alternating stupor and agitation, altered consciousness, hyperthermia and other autonomic disturbances. A case of LC in a 19-year-old Chinese woman showing a dramatic response to lorazepam and bromocriptine is described and a brief overview of the contemporary literature is provided.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Koro: the delusion of penile retraction.

Koro is a psychiatric syndrome in which the patient is convinced his penis is retracting. A case of koro is described. The literature and proper approach to such patients are briefly summarized.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Benzodiazepines and the psychopathology of catatonia.

This paper focuses attention on the importance of psychopathological analysis in the evaluation of benzodiazepine treatment response in catatonia. The authors report the successful reversal of the catatonic syndrome with small doses of benzodiazepine in two patients who demonstrated stupor and excitement respectively. Viewing the catatonic syndrome from a nosological vantage point, they attempt to demonstrate that its response to benzodiazepines is partly determined by the underlying psychiatric disorder. Discussing the psychopathological and clinical concept of catatonia, the authors argue that revision of the legacy of Jaspers and the Wernicke-Kleist-Leonhard school may help to disentangle the current terminological and conceptual ambiguity and confusion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Benzodiazepines in the treatment of catatonic syndrome.

During a 5-month period, 18 (8%) of 212 patients admitted to a psychiatric unit affiliated to a teaching hospital were found to have a catatonic syndrome associated with various nonorganic mental disorders. Signs and symptoms of motor retardation predominated the clinical presentations. In the course of a prospective, open study, all 18 patients were challenged by a small dose of oral lorazepam or intramuscular diazepam. Catatonic signs and symptoms in 2 patients showed an immediate, complete, and sustained response to the medication. The remaining 16 patients were maintained on 1 of the 2 benzodiazepines for the next 48 h when their motor status was re-evaluated. Significant clinical improvement was detected in all but 2 patients. However, 9 patients needed electroconvulsive treatment to achieve further improvement. Short-term benzodiazepine administration proved to be a safe and effective treatment of the catatonic syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Reactive psychosis among elderly people.

Two cases of reactive psychosis occurring over the age of 65 are briefly reported. The role of organic impairment and evaluation of previous psychiatric illness in the diagnosis of reactive psychosis in elderly people is discussed. In addition, a brief review of the relevant Scandinavian literature is provided.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Speech-prompt catatonia: a case report and review of the literature.

The clinical picture of speech-prompt catatonia, one of the six catatonic subtypes in Leonhard's classification, is demonstrated by a case report. The Leonhardian catatonic subtypes offer a radically different way of approaching the problem of catatonia. The need for a reevaluation of Leonhard's intricate, clinically oriented system, rich in psychopathological details, is emphasized.

Adult↗