Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J A Hatterer.
Four men with paruresis received trials of atenolol or phenelzine or both. Atenolol was effective in one patient. Three patients had a poor response to phenelzine, and they all experienced troublesome side effects.
Moral or religious scrupulosity is a disabling condition which is sometimes seen in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The authors described 10 patients with moral or religious scrupulosity who were treated with fluoxetine or clomipramine. Seven of the 10 patients completed open treatment of at least 8 weeks without requiring adjunctive medication; 5 of those 7 patients were rated as much improved. Among the 3 patients who required adjunctive medication, 1 was rated as much improved. Of the 4 nonresponders at 3 months, 2 responded after longer treatment trials. These results suggest that extreme moral or religious concerns and behaviors might be a form of OCD and that the scrupulosity can be effectively treated with serotonin reuptake blockers.
To determine the clinical significance of thyroid function abnormalities in patients maintained on lithium, the authors evaluated the relationships of thyroid function tests to clinical response to lithium and side effects from lithium in 20 outpatients meeting DSM-III criteria for major affective disorder. No significant relationships were found between baseline thyroid function tests and clinical response. Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine uptake ratio (T3UR) within the normal range were found to be associated with complaints of lethargy and cognitive impairment. Thirteen subjects were followed prospectively for 6 months with monthly evaluations of affective state, side effects, and occurrence of relapse. Thyroid function tests were repeated at the final visit. Final and mean T3 levels within the normal range were found to be significantly lower in patients who relapsed, and mean T3 level was inversely correlated with affective state as measured by mean scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Young Mania Rating Scale.
Assessment of metabolic rate was useful in evaluating refractory depression in six of 15 women. Five of the six had normal levels of T3 and T4; however, each had an elevated thyrotropin-stimulating hormone level or a low metabolic rate. The depressions responded to medication with thyroid hormone.