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Background: The objectives of the study were to determine prevalence and severity of depression among patients with Parkinson’s diseaseand compare with a control group that has comparable disability with PD and ascertain the correlation of depressive symptoms severity with the severity of motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at the Neurology clinic of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).The presence and severity of depression in patients with PD measured using Becks Depression Inventory (BDI) and severity of PD using Unified Parkinson’s DiseaseRating Scale (UPDRS)-motor. Results: A total of 40 PD patients and 40 patients with non-complicated hypertension werestudied. This study showed that the prevalence of depression among subjects with Parkinson’s disease was significantly higher 72.5% as compared with control group, further comparing the mean BDI for PD and Hypertension using independent t-test shows statistical significance (t=-3.306, p-value< 0.001). However, there is no significant difference between the severity of depression among PD patients and control. The study also reported difference in the pattern of depressive symptoms as the PD progresses. Conclusions: The prevalence of depression in this study was significantly higher (72.5%) among patients with PD, with no significant difference in severity of depression. however, the pattern of depressive symptoms shows significant difference as PD progresses.We recommend the integration of mental health services into the care of Parkinson’s disease to ensure regular assessment of their mental health status and prompt treatment.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a highly infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus strain. The virus is believed to spread mainly by respiratory droplets where the infected people breathe, cough or sneeze and expel little droplets of moisture that contain the virus.Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions are mostly affected. Method: Relevant literatures were reviewed from the internet, electronic and print media, World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control documentation. Results: The coronavirus has brought difficult situations for citizens across the world. Refugees and irregular migrants who find themselves in difficult situations are more vulnerable to the effect of the virus and the social difficulties associated with it. Conclusion: The spread of the virus can be slowed or suppressed through social distancing, natural immunity, and observance of optimal hygiene practice and near compulsory use of face masks, particularly while dealing with the public.

Asthmatic disease is a chronic distressing respiratory disease. Many sufferers of asthmatic diseases tend to have co morbid depressive illness of variable severity due to the psychological/emotional burden associated with the disease. There is currently a paucity of data on the exact prevalence of depressive illness associated with patients with Asthma in this environment. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of depressive illness in patients with asthmatic disease attending the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). Consent for the study was obtained from the Ethical Committee of the hospital. Patients for the study were recruited from different departments of the hospital. Asthmatics patients recruited were only those diagnosed by Consultant Physicians in the Departments of study, who have been on treatment for at least a period of 6 months. Also, subjects whose psychiatric illness preceded the asthmatic disease were equally excluded from the study. A socio-demographic questionnaire as well as the Beck’s Depressive Inventory (BDI) was used as study instruments. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS version 20. Confidence interval was set at 95% and a P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 46 patients were enlisted into the study. Out of the total number of 46 patients, 31(67.4%) of them were found to have depressive illness (56% mild, 29% moderate and 15% had major depressive illness). Five patients representing 10.9% had suicidal ideation and 2(4.3%) had actually attempted at least on two occasions. 65% mostly of the mild depressive illness were not aware of their mental ill-health. Only 9% of those who were aware of their psychiatric condition had sought psychiatric intervention. From the study, the prevalence of depressive illness among asthmatic patients in UPTH is high and many of the patients appear unfortunately not to receive appropriately treatment as diagnosis and referral are still relatively inadequate and imprecise. There is therefore, great need for awareness of the existence of this comorbidity as well as institution of appropriate identification measures and subsequent referral for appropriate treatment. This will undoubtedly improve the management of asthmatics as well as their quality of life.

This is case of cycloserine induced-psychosis in a 22-year old male patient on treatment for multi-drugs resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) at the Aluu MDRTB centre of UPTH. Tuberculosis is a chronic respiratory infection caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis. Cycloserine is a Category IV antimycobacterial agent used for the treatment of resistant tuberculosis. The overall clinical scenerio forms this case report. The aim of this report was to highlight a case of cycloserine induced-psychosis in a 22-year old male patient on treatment for drug resistant tuberculosis at the Aluu MDRTB centre of UPTH and to further point to the fact that it is reversible. The case report of the patient was retrieved and reviewed together with relevant literatures. A 22-year old male patient who was diagnosed of tuberculosis in December, 2013 andrediagnosed as multidrug resistant tuberculosis about 6 months ago. He was admitted as a referral into the MDRTBcentre at Aluu5 months following the later and commenced on a course of Category IV anti TB regimen including cycloserine at a dose of 75 Omg dly. There was no history of use of psychoactive substances and no family history of mental illnesses. His body weight as at the time of the report was 47 kg. Routine and other investigations including full blood count with differencials, electrolyte, urea and creatinine and urinalysis, thyroid function test done were all within normal ranges. Retroviral screening test was seronegative. Within 1week of commencing the antituberculosis regimen, patient began to manifest a range of psychotic features unusual abnormal behaviours characterized by irrational talks, seeing of strange images unseen by others in clear conscious. After detailed evaluation and with high index of suspicion, a diagnosis of cycloserine-induced psychosis was entertained. The psychiatrist recommended that the cycloerinebe withheld and patient was commenced on low dose atypical antipsychotic agent. Within 48hours, symptoms began to resolve and within 72 hours there was marked improvement particularly in the psychotic symptoms. A good number of medications like cycloserine have been known to induce psychosis. Clinicians should always apply caution particularly in dosage and assess patients fitness for these group of medications. This will help to prevent precipitation of psychiatric adverse symptoms and guarantee the patient optimal care.

Essential hypertension, a non communicable disease, is assuming an epidemic dimension, of the nature of a communicable condition. It, predominantly affects the physical, social and psychological well-being of the middle to elderly age group, with the former incidentally contributing over 50% of Nigeria workforce, hence interfering with the nation’s economic well- being . Although few of such studies have been done in this environment, hypertensionhas been variously cited to be commonly associated with psychiatric comorbidity. The aim of this study, therefore, was to determine the pattern and prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidity among subjects with essential hypertension attending the out patient clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teacing Hospital (UPTH). In this cross-sectional study, following ethical approval from the appropriate committee of the hospital and informed consent from the participants, 360 subjects making up the study group were recruited based on the study’s inclusion exclusion criteria, after a Pilot Study (In addition, the hypertensives were screened for HIV infection and also investigated for other chronic medical illnesses). Subjects were further administered with the study’s instruments including the socio-demorgraphic questionnaire, GHQ-12 and WHOCIDI. The data were analyzed using the SPSS version 20. Confidence interval was set at 95% while P- value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The study found a 64.4% (n=232) rate of psychiatric comorbidity among the hypertensive patients with depressive illness the highest with 73(29.4%). This was followed by GAD with 16.1%, sexual dysfunction 9.0%, mixed anxiety and depression 7.8%, substance abuse 2.3%, dysthymia 0.3%, while panic without agoraphobia and personality disorders 0.9% each. Severity of hypertension correlated positively with psychiatric comorbidity. The study found that psychiatric co-morbidity among the hypertensive patient is common in UPTH. It therefore becomes imperative that the intervention measures for chronic disorders of these natures should include a well planned, elaborate and articulated neuropsychiatric evaluation for an effective and holistic management of these patients.

The study aims to ascertain the co-morbidity of Alcohol and Depression among patients attending the general outpatient clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Via a system sampling method; 470 consenting subjects were enlisted in the study. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Inventory (AUDIT) and the Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered to each. Only one hundred and eighty five subjects met the criteria for the second stage of the study, (a score of 18 and above on the BDI and/or a score of 5 and above on AUDIT). Results showed that there was a significantly higher prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorders among those with higher depressive symptoms. Furthermore, about (45.8%) half of these with Alcohol Use Disorders were diagnosed with depression in comparison to 26.0% of those without Alcohol Use Disorder. In agreement with other studies, there was a greater likelihood of depression among the subjects who were diagnosed with AUD. Nevertheless, the specific mechanism underlying this co-morbidity is yet to be elucidated.