Hyperleukocytosis during clozapine treatment: A rare presentation of B-cell Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

[Therapy of mental disorders in patients with hematological malignancies]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the possibilities of therapy with minimal effective doses (MED) of psychotropic drugs for mental disorders (MD) that manifest during the treatment of hematological malignancies (HM).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective study was conducted at the National Medical Research Center for Hematology of the Russian Ministry of Health (Moscow), which included 204 (39.4%) men and 314 (60.6%) women (518 patients in total), aged 17 to 83 years (median 45 years), with various HM, in which the manifestation of MD occurred during the treatment of the underlying disease. To minimize the side-effects of psychotropic drugs and given the relatively mild level of MD, psychopharmacotherapy of patients was carried out mainly at MED. The severity of MD, manifested in patients, was assessed by the illness severity scale of the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, and the effectiveness of the treatment was assessed by the improvement scale (CGI-I).

RESULTS

Mainly mild (188, 36%) and moderately pronounced (270, 52%) MD were noted in patients with HM during the treatment of the underlying disease. Severe psychopathological disorders (60, 12%) were observed much less often. Because of psychopharmacotherapy with MED, patients experienced a very significant (97, 19%) and significant improvement (354, 68%) of their mental state, less often the improvement was regarded as minimal (67, 13%). Therefore, almost all patients showed a stable relief of MD; in 87% (95% CI 84-90) of patients, this improvement was significant.

CONCLUSION

The tactics of treatment MD that manifest in patients with HM with MED of psychotropic drugs turned out to be therapeutically effective according to the results of the assessment on CGI scales.

[Adherence to treatment of hematological malignancies patients with anxiety and depression]

AIM

To establish the features of the influence of anxiety and depressive disorders on treatment adherence, as well as to clarify the factors associated with it in hematologic malignancies patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 117 patients: 51 men and 66 women, aged 19 to 67 years, with Hodgkin's lymphoma - 88, acute lymphoblastic leukemia - 16 and aplastic anemia - 13 patients. Patients were examined by psychiatrist using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, as well as some psychometric methods.

RESULTS

Anxiety-depressive spectrum disorders were detected in 36 (40.9%) patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma and 8 (50%) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, in the aplastic anemia group there were three (23.1%) of such patients. It was found that the average adherence to treatment was in 2/3 of patients, low and high - in the remaining 1/3 of patients. With medium and low adherence to treatment, the risk of adverse events increases by an average of 1.7 times. The adherence to treatment it is significantly higher in patients older than 45 years. Signs of depression that negatively correlated with adherence to treatment were pessimism and disruption of social ties. Adherence to treatment significantly positively correlates with the following types of attitudes towards the disease: anosognosic, hypochondriac and egocentric, and significantly negatively correlates with the following types of attitudes towards the disease: anxious, melancholic and dysphoric.

CONCLUSION

Anxiety/depressive disorders contribute to reduced adherence of hematologic malignancies patients to treatment. Their correction and increased adherence should be carried out jointly by hematologists and mental health professionals.

[Psychopharmacotherapy of mental disorders in hematological patients: security concerns]

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of the safety of psychopharmacotherapy (PFT) of mental disorders in modern protocols for the treatment of patients with blood disorders.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The data of medical records of 552 patients with blood disorders who received PFT during treatment at the clinic of the National Medical Research Center for Hematology were analyzed. Any adverse events recorded while taking PFT were taken into account. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, and assessment (Student's t-test) of changes in blood parameters (before and after taking psychotropic drugs).

RESULTS

Signs of hematotoxicity were found only in 7.1% (n=37) patients, in all cases while taking benzodiazepines (n=12) in combination with hematotoxic drugs for the treatment of blood disorders. Other significant adverse events (which caused premature discontinuation or dose reduction) were detected in 4.8% (n=25) cases, of which 9 were associated with the appointment of anxiolytics (hydroxyzine, zopiclone), 11 with antidepressants (clomipramine, amitriptyline, duloxetine, trazodone, ademethionine) and 5 with antipsychotics (risperidone, alimemazine, haloperidol).

CONCLUSION

Most psychotropic drugs are effective in relation to psychopathological disorders that develop in hematological patients and are safe when used at minimum/average therapeutic doses within the daily dosage ranges established by the official instructions for use.