Publications (2)4.84 Total impact
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Article: Depression in middle-aged and older first generation migrants in Europe: results from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).
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ABSTRACT: To determine the prevalence of depression in migrants aged 50 years or older in comparison to residents without a history of migration in 11 European countries. The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), a cross-national, multidisciplinary, household-based panel survey using nationally representative probability samples (n=28,517) of 11 European countries of the non-institutionalized population aged 50 years and older. Depression was measured using the EURO-D scale, and odds ratios (OR) were estimated for migration status. Effects of sociodemographic variables, somatic comorbidities, functional impairment, cognitive function, geographic region, and time lived in current country of residence were assessed in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Adjusting for confounds, the OR for depression in migrants was 1.42 (95% CI, 1.28-1.59). The influence of migration status on the prevalence of depression was significantly greater in Northern (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.39-2.46) and Western Europe (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.22-1.57), compared to Southern Europe (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.79-1.70) (p<0.05 for the interaction). We found a higher prevalence of depression in first-generation migrants aged 50 years or older, together with relevant geographical variation. This difference was not due to other known predictors of depression in older age.European Psychiatry 12/2010; 25(8):468-75. · 2.77 Impact Factor -
Article: Efficacy and safety of levetiracetam for outpatient alcohol detoxification.
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ABSTRACT: Anticonvulsant drugs are increasingly being used for alcohol detoxification in in- and outpatient settings. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy, medical safety and mid-term outcome of levetiracetam, a drug with no marked liver toxicity, for outpatient alcohol detoxification. This was an open-label observational study. After screening eligibility for outpatient alcohol detoxification, patients were seen daily for 5 days and received levetiracetam in a flexible dosage regime between 500 and 4 000 mg/d for a maximum of 7 days. Diazepam was used as a rescue medication. The severity of alcohol withdrawal was evaluated daily using the ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME SCALE (AWSS). Mid-term treatment outcome was assessed at a 6-month follow-up. A total number of 131 consecutively admitted alcohol-dependent patients received an outpatient detoxification treatment, 122 (93.1%) completed the programme successfully. The mean initial dose of levetiracetam was 1 850 mg/d. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome as indicated by the AWSS score decreased clearly over 5 days. Overall, the medication was well tolerated. There was no treatment discontinuations due to side effects of levetiracetam. No serious medical complications, especially seizures or deliria, were observed during the detoxification. At the 6-month follow-up, 57 patients (43.5%) were still abstinent. Patients with previous detoxifications had a significant higher risk for relapse (HR=1.88; p=0.016; CI 95%: 1.12-3.14) than patients without previous treatments. The findings of this study provide some evidence that levetiracetam is an efficacious and safe treatment option for outpatient alcohol detoxification. Further randomised, controlled trials including mid- and long-term follow-ups are needed to confirm these findings.Pharmacopsychiatry 07/2010; 43(5):184-9. · 2.07 Impact Factor
