Why do some patients with HIV/AIDS experience a decrease in self-esteem after diagnosis while others do not? The authors of this study attempt to answer this question by investigating the self-esteem and defense mechanisms in HIV/AIDS patients.
Combat exposure has been linked to PTSD and other mental health conditions, but is it also linked to physical health conditions? Read this CME article to learn about how mental and physical conditions differ between veterans with and without combat exposure as well as between younger and older veterans with combat exposure.
Older veterans with HIV face numerous behavioral health problems, but what prevents them from engaging in mental health treatment? These researchers attempt to find out by identifying key mood, social, and functional correlates of current participation in mental health treatment in this population.
Mirtazapine is a novel antidepressant originally known as Org 3770. It has a a unique dual mode of action as a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant. This article reviews the literature examining the use of mirtazapine with an emphasis on its therapeutic benefits for patients with comorbid medical conditions.
Baclofen, a French Exception, Seriously Harms Alcohol Use Disorder Patients Without Benefit
To the Editor: Dr Andrade’s analysis of the Bacloville trial in a recent Clinical and Practical Psychopharmacology column, in which he concluded that “individualized treatment with high-dose baclofen (30-300 mg/d) may be a useful second-line approach in heavy drinkers” and that “baclofen may be particularly useful in patients with liver disease,” deserves comment.1
First, Andrade failed to recall that the first pivotal trial of baclofen, ALPADIR (NCT01738282; 320 patients, as with Bacloville), was negative (see Braillon et al2).
Second, Dr Andrade should have warned readers that Bacloville’s results are most questionable, lacking robustness. Although he cited us,3 he overlooked the evidence we provided indicating that the Bacloville article4 was published without acknowledging major changes to the initial protocol, affecting the primary outcome. Coincidentally (although as skeptics, we do not believe in coincidence), the initial statistical team was changed when data were sold to the French pharmaceutical company applying for the marketing authorization in France. As Ronald H. Coase warned, “If you torture the data long enough, it will confess.”
MY ACCOUNT