Aripiprazole appears to be a safe and effective agent in the treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder.

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These findings demonstrate deficits in experiencing and recognizing emotions in BD patients who are in remission and underscore the relevance of these deficits in the psychosocial context.

Background: Asthma is a serious medical problem in pregnancy and is often associated with stress, anger and poor quality of life.The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) on change in blood pressure, lung parameters, heart rate, anger and health-related quality of life in pregnant women with bronchial asthma. Methods: We treated a sample of 64 pregnant women with bronchial asthma from the local population in an 8-week randomized, prospective, controlled trial. Thirty-two were selected for PMR, and 32 received a placebo intervention. The systolic blood pressure, forced expiratory volume in the first second, peak expiratory flow and heart rate were tested, and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory and Health Survey (SF-36) were employed. Results: According to the intend-to-treat principle, a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and a significant increase in both forced expiratory volume in the first second and peak expiratory flow were observed after PMR. The heart rate showed a significant increase in the coefficient of variation, root mean square of successive differences and high frequency ranges, in addition to a significant reduction in low and middle frequency ranges. A significant reduction on three of five State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory scales, and a significant increase on seven of eight SF-36 scales were observed. Conclusions: PMR appears to be an effective method to improve blood pressure, lung parameters and heart rate, and to decrease anger levels, thus enhancing health-related quality of life in pregnant women with bronchial asthma.

Topiramate appears to safe and effective in influencing the frequency of binging/purging, body weight, and HRQOL in bulimic patients.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of topiramate versus a placebo in the treatment of adiposity in women undergoing olanzapine therapy. We also assessed changes health-related quality of life, the patient's actual state of health, and psychologic impairments. The 10-week, random, double-blind, placebo-controlled study included 43 women who had been treated with olanzapine (mean dose 7.8 +/- 3.6 in the topiramate group and 7.2 +/- 3.1 in the placebo group) and had gained weight as a side effect. The subjects were randomly assigned to topiramate (n = 25) or a placebo (n = 18). Primary outcome measures were weight checks and self-reported changes on the scales of the SF-36 Health Survey, Bf-S Scale of Well-Being, and the Adjective Checklist EWL-60-S. Weight loss was observed and was significantly more pronounced in the topiramate-treated group (difference in weight loss between the 2 groups: 5.6 kg, 95% CI = -8.5, -3.0, P < 0.001). In comparison with the placebo group, significant changes on 7 (7/8) scales of SF-36 Health Survey (all P < 0.001), on all 6 scales of the EWL-60-S, and on the Bf-S were observed in the topiramate-treated subjects after 10 weeks. All patients tolerated topiramate well. Topiramate appears to be a safe and effective agent in the treatment of weight gain that occurred during olanzapine treatment. Significantly positive changes in health-related quality of life, the patient's actual state of health, and psychologic impairments were observed.

Borderline personality disorder is a common and severe psychiatric illness. The goal of this study was to determine whether topiramate can influence patients' borderline psychopathology, health-related quality of life, and interpersonal problems. Women meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Structured Clinical Interview II criteria for borderline personality disorder were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to topiramate titrated from 25 to 200 mg/d (n = 28) or placebo (n = 28) for 10 weeks. Primary outcome measures were changes on the Symptom-Checklist, on the SF-36 Health Survey, and on the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems. Body weight and additional side effects were assessed weekly. According to the intent-to-treat principle, significant changes (all P < 0.001) on the somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, and Global Severity Index scales of the Symptom Checklist were observed in the topiramate-treated subjects after 10 weeks (no significant changes on the obsessive-compulsive, depression, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism scales). In the SF-36 Health Survey, significant differences were observed on all 8 scales (all P < 0.01 or P < 0.001). In the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems, significant differences (all P < 0.001) were found in the scales for overly autocratic, overly competitive, overly introverted, and overly expressive (no significant differences in the scales for overly cold, overly subassertive/subservient, overly exploitable/compliant, and overly nurturant/friendly). Weight loss was additionally observed (p < 0.001). Topiramate appears to be a safe and effective agent in the treatment in women with borderline personality disorder. Additional weight loss can be expected.

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