End-of-life care poses significant ethical challenges for nurses, requiring a deep understanding of moral empathy and ethical decision-making. This study examines the impact of these factors on end-of-life decision-making among nurses in oncology and pain management units in Egypt.

A cross-sectional design was employed to gather data from participants at a single point in time, facilitating an analysis of the relationships among ethical principles, moral empathy, and nursing practice. The study involved 246 registered nurses with at least 6 months of experience, selected through stratified random sampling from oncology and pain management units in Damietta, Egypt. These settings were chosen due to their central role in palliative care, as Damietta serves as a regional healthcare hub with specialized units addressing chronic and end-of-life conditions. This selection allows for an in-depth exploration of the ethical dimensions involved in providing palliative care. Informed consent was acquired from all participants, ensuring confidentiality and the right to withdraw from the study at any time.

The findings indicated that 72% of participants reported high levels of moral empathy, which positively correlated with ethical decision-making scores (r = 0.65, p < 0.01). However, 58% of the nurses also reported experiencing moderate to high levels of moral distress in various clinical scenarios. Additionally, nurses in supportive ethical climates experienced significantly lower moral distress than those in less supportive settings (p < 0.05).

This study highlights the importance of integrating ethical training and moral empathy into nursing education and practice. The findings underscore the need for policy reforms to embed ethics and empathy training in nursing curricula and professional development programs, fostering ethical competence and enhancing patient care quality.

Maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be effective and necessary in the long-term for patients with severe and recurrent mood or psychotic disorders that are not amenable to any other forms of treatment. Patients with such treatment resistance affecting their ability to maintain minimal daily activities may eventually fall within the palliative psychiatric care domain in which advanced medical directives become an important beacon to direct care. There are Psychiatric Advance Directives which allow people with severe mental health conditions to consent to or refuse to consent to hospital admission and psychiatric treatment in the event they lose decision-making capacity and this can be especially important for a potentially controversial treatment such as ECT. However, the focus tends to be on enforcing involuntary treatment and less about a comprehensive long-term care plan. To our knowledge, there is no available framework to structure maintenance ECT as a patient-centred care plan.

Our aim is to share the process of development of a patient-centred care plan for patients requiring maintenance ECT. Our objectives are:

1. 1. Constant engagement with patients and family or caregivers

2. 2. Regular reviews of clinical and consent aspects of treatment

3. 3. Advocating for the welfare of patients and respect of values

4. 4. Focus on dignity especially for patients who require treatment well into old age

5. 5. Being prepared for termination of treatment if necessary

We reviewed our management of previous and existing patients on maintenance ECT and incorporated diligent consent-taking practices. Adopting good practices from known palliative approaches and involving the patient voice helped to form a framework for a patient-centred care plan.

Our patient-centred care plan features half-yearly discussions about the risks and benefits of treatment, as well as an assessment of the patient’s cognition and ability to consent which may change over time. Opportunities for them to share their values and expectations of care and engagement with their caregivers about their quality of life guide the continued treatment. A framework for discussing the disruption or eventual termination of ECT prepares for scenarios where older-aged patients may develop frailty or present with acute, prolonged or devastating medical concerns. This end-of-life care approach manages anticipated psychiatric-specific behavioural concerns and prepares for the possibility of death following the planned termination of ECT for patients who required long-term treatment throughout their life. Lastly, issues of grief amongst caregivers and ethical concerns from medical staff are addressed.

We hope that our patient-centred care plan provides a well-considered conversation and structure for the initiation, continuation and termination of maintenance ECT in the long-term.

None Declared

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are complex mental illnesses that are associated with cognitive deficits. There is considerable cognitive heterogeneity that exists within both disorders. Studies that cluster schizophrenia and bipolar patients into subgroups based on their cognitive profile increasingly demonstrate that, relative to healthy controls, there is a severely compromised subgroup and a relatively intact subgroup. There is emerging evidence that telomere shortening, a marker of cellular senescence, may be associated with cognitive impairments. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between cognitive subgroups in bipolar-schizophrenia spectrum disorders and telomere length against a healthy control sample.

Participants included a transdiagnostic group diagnosed with bipolar, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n = 73) and healthy controls (n = 113). Cognitive clusters within the transdiagnostic patient group, were determined using K-means cluster analysis based on current cognitive functioning (MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery scores). Telomere length was determined using quantitative PCRs genomic DNA extracted from whole blood. Emergent clusters were then compared to the healthy control group on telomere length.

Two clusters emerged within the patient group that were deemed to reflect a relatively intact cognitive group and a cognitively impaired subgroup. Telomere length was significantly shorter in the severely impaired cognitive subgroup compared to the healthy control group.

This study replicates previous findings of transdiagnostic cognitive subgroups and associates shorter telomere length with the severely impaired cognitive subgroup. These findings support emerging literature associating cognitive impairments in psychiatric disorders to accelerated cellular aging as indexed by telomere length.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been impacted psychologically due to their professional responsibilities over the prolonged era of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to identify the predictors of psychological distress, fear, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic among HCWs.

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among self-identified HCWs across 14 countries (12 from Asia and two from Africa). The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale were used to assess the psychological distress, fear, and coping of HCWs, respectively.

A total of 2447 HCWs participated; 36% were doctors, and 42% were nurses, with a mean age of 36 (±12) years, and 70% were females. Moderate to very-high psychological distress was prevalent in 67% of the HCWs; the lowest rate was reported in the United Arab Emirates (1%) and the highest in Indonesia (16%). The prevalence of high levels of fear was 20%; the lowest rate was reported in Libya (9%) and the highest in Egypt (32%). The prevalence of medium-to-high resilient coping was 63%; the lowest rate was reported in Libya (28%) and the highest in Syria (76%).

COVID-19 has augmented the psychological distress among HCWs. Factors identified in this study should be considered in managing the wellbeing of HCWs, who had been serving as the frontline drivers in managing the crisis successfully across all participating countries. Furthermore, interventions to address their psychological distress should be considered.

Labour market marginalisation (LMM), i.e. severe problems in finding and keeping a job, is common among young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to disentangle the extent of LMM as well as the heterogeneity in patterns of LMM among young adults with ADHD and what characterises those belonging to these distinct trajectories of LMM.

This population-based register study investigated all 6287 young adults, aged 22–29 years, who had their first primary or secondary diagnosis of ADHD in Sweden between 2006 and 2011. Group-based trajectory (GBT) models were used to estimate trajectories of LMM, conceptualised as both unemployment and work disability, 3 years before and 5 years after the year of an incident diagnosis of ADHD. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between individual characteristics and the trajectory groups of LMM were estimated by multinomial logistic regression.

Six distinct trajectories of LMM were found: ‘increasing high’ (21% belonged to this trajectory group) with high levels of LMM throughout the study period, ‘rapidly increasing’ (19%), ‘moderately increasing’ (21%), ‘constant low’ (12%) with low levels of LMM throughout the study period, ‘moderately decreasing’ (14%) and finally ‘fluctuating’ (13%), following a reversed u-shaped curve. Individuals with the following characteristics had an increased probability of belonging to trajectory groups of increasing LMM: low educational level (moderately increasing: OR: 1.4; CI: 1.2–1.8, rapidly increasing: OR: 1.7; CI: 1.3–2.1, increasing high: OR: 2.9; CI: 2.3–3.6), single parents (moderately increasing: OR: 1.6; CI: 1.1–2.4, rapidly increasing: OR: 2.0; CI: 1.3–3.0), those born outside the European Union/the Nordic countries (rapidly increasing: OR: 1.7; CI: 1.1–2.5, increasing high: OR: 2.1; CI: 1.4–3.1), persons living in small cities/villages (moderately increasing: OR: 2.4; CI: 1.9–3.0, rapidly increasing: OR: 2.1; CI: 1.6–2.7, increasing high: OR: 2.6; CI: 2.0–3.3) and those with comorbid mental disorders, most pronounced regarding schizophrenia/psychoses (rapidly increasing: OR: 6.7; CI: 2.9–19.5, increasing high: OR: 12.8; CI: 5.5–37.0), autism spectrum disorders (rapidly increasing: OR: 4.6; CI: 3.1–7.1, increasing high: OR: 9.6; CI: 6.5–14.6), anxiety/stress-related disorders (moderately increasing: OR: 1.3; CI: 1.1–1.7, rapidly increasing: OR: 2.0; CI: 1.6–2.5, increasing high: OR: 1.8; CI: 1.5–2.3) and depression/bipolar disorder (moderately increasing: OR: 1.3; CI: 1.0–1.6, rapidly increasing: OR: 1.7; CI: 1.4–2.2, increasing high: OR: 1.5; CI: 1.2–1.9).

About 61% of young adults were characterised by increasing LMM after a diagnosis of ADHD. To avoid marginalisation, attention should especially be given to young adults diagnosed with ADHD with a low educational level, that are single parents and who are living outside big cities. Also, young adults with comorbid mental disorders should be monitored for LMM early in working life.

Neurological soft signs (NSS) are subtle indicator of brain dysfunction, which are present in excess among patients with schizophrenia. Its clinical significance remains unclear despite extensive researches.

To determine the proportion of schizophrenia patients who have motor NSS and then to compare the performance in verbal fluency between these two groups; with and without motor NSS.

This cross-sectional study utilized the Brief Motor Scale (BMS) to investigate the presence of motor NSS in 80 schizophrenia patients attended Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) psychiatric clinic. The diagnosis was confirmed by Mini International Neuropsychiatic Interview (MINI). Symptomatology and abnormal motor movement were assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) respectively. A brief battery of cognitive tests covering aspects of attention, working memory and executive function was administered. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were applied to look for any relationship between study factors.

Majority of schizophrenia patients (68.8%) in this study have motor NSS. The motor NSS were correlated with verbal fluency, digit span forward, digit span backward, and trail making B but not with trail making A (p < 0.05). However, verbal fluency was the only factor that remained significantly correlated with motor NSS after multivariate analysis.

The assessment of motor NSS represents a brief, inexpensive and meaningful tool in psychiatry. Together with verbal fluency, it has the potential as an illness marker and a link between neurobiological research and clinical practice.

Neurological soft signs (NSS) are subtle indicator of brain dysfunction which are present in excess among patients with schizophrenia. Its clinical significance remains unclear despite extensive researches.

To determine the proportion of schizophrenia patients who have motor NSS and then to compare the verbal fluency between these two groups; with and without motor NSS.

This cross-sectional study utilized the Brief Motor Scale (BMS) to investigate the presence of motor NSS in 80 schizophrenia patients attended Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) psychiatric clinic. The diagnosis was confirmed by Mini International Neuropsychiatic Interview (MINI). Symptomatology and abnormal motor movement were assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) respectively. A brief verbal fluency test was administered. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were applied to look for any relationship between study factors.

Majority of schizophrenia patients (68.8%) in this study have motor NSS. The motor NSS were correlated with verbal fluency. Verbal fluency was the only factor that remained significantly correlated with motor NSS after multivariate analysis.

The assessment of motor NSS represents a brief, inexpensive and meaningful tool in psychiatry. Together with verbal fluency, it has the potential as an illness marker and a link between neurobiological research and clinical practice.

Bangladesh, like many emerging economies of South-East Asia, has started to experience a double burden of continuing high rates of undernutrition and increasing rates of overweight and obesity. A lack of assessment of the nutritional shift leaves a gap in current policies: the growing overweight and obesity is yet to be addressed. The present paper investigates the change in nutritional status, particularly the shift in BMI, of Bangladeshi women of reproductive age (15–49 years) and characterizes the vulnerable households for both underweight and overweight status during a period of 10 years (2004–2014).

Generalized linear mixed-effect models were fitted for both urban and rural residents to assess underweight and overweight status.

Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys.

Women aged 15–49 years (n 53 077).

The proportion of overweight increased during 2004–2014 from 10·7 to 25·1 % and the proportion of underweight decreased from 32·6 to 18·2 %. Prevalence of underweight status remained high in rural areas and prevalence of overweight increased rapidly in both rural and urban areas, creating a double burden. The significant contributors to this double burden were the change in women’s level of education, increased household wealth, divisional location and rapid urbanization.

The findings indicate that specific cohort- or area-based intervention policy studies in line with the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition are required to address the nutritional double burden in Bangladesh.

A third of patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) experience treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Relatively few pharmacological agents have established efficacy for TRD. Therefore, the evaluation of novel treatments for TRD is a pressing priority. Statins are pleiotropic agents and preclinical studies as well as preliminary clinical trials have suggested that these drugs may have antidepressant properties.

To report on a protocol for a 12-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of add-on treatment with simvastatin for patients meeting DSM-5 criteria for MDD who have failed to respond to at least two adequate trials with approved antidepressants. The trial has been registered with Clinicaltrials.gov in (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03435744).

After screening and randomisation to the two parallel arms of the trial, 75 patients will receive simvastatin and 75 patients will receive placebo as adjuncts to treatment as usual. The primary outcome is change in Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores from baseline to week 12 and secondary outcomes include changes in scores on the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Clinical Global Impression scale, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale and change in body mass index from baseline to week 12. Assessments will take place at screening, baseline, and weeks 2, 4, 8 and 12. Checklists for adverse effects will be undertaken at each visit. Simvastatin (20 mg) will be given once daily. Other secondary outcomes include C-reactive protein and plasma lipids measured at baseline and week 12.

This trial will assess simvastatin's efficacy and tolerability as an add-on treatment option for patients with TRD and provide insights into its putative mechanisms of action.

As the first trial investigating the use of simvastatin as an augmentation strategy in patients with TRD, if the results indicate that adjuvant simvastatin is efficacious in reducing depressive symptoms, it will deliver immediate clinical benefit.

I.B.C. and N.H. have given lectures and advice to Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lundbeck, Astra Zeneca and Janssen pharmaceuticals for which they or their employing institution have been reimbursed. R.R. and M.M.H. have received educational grants and support for academic meetings from Pfizer, Roche, Novartis and Nabiqasim. A.H.Y. has been commissioned to provide lectures and advice to all major pharmaceutical companies with drugs used in affective and related disorders. A.H.Y. has undertaken investigator-initiated studies from Astra Zeneca, Eli Lilly, Lundbeck and Wyeth. None of the companies have a financial interest in this research.