Philip Hazell

Bio: Philip Hazell is an academic researcher from University of Sydney. The author has contributed to research in topics: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder & Poison control. The author has an hindex of 41, co-authored 169 publications receiving 7679 citations. Previous affiliations of Philip Hazell include University of Manchester & Mental Health Services.

Practice Parameter for the Assessment and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Depressive Disorders

Abstract: This practice parameter describes the epidemiology, clinical picture, differential diagnosis, course, risk factors, and pharmacological and psychotherapy treatments of children and adolescents with major depressive or dysthymic disorders. Side effects of the antidepressants, particularly the risk of suicidal ideation and behaviors are discussed. Recommendations regarding the assessment and the acute, continuation, and maintenance treatment of these disorders are based on the existent scientific evidence as well as the current clinical practice. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 2007; 46(11):1503Y1526. Key Words: major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, evaluation, treatment, antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, psychotherapy, practice parameter. Depressive disorders are often familial recurrent illnesses associated with increased psychosocial morbidity and mortality. Early identification and effective treatment may reduce the impact of depression on the family, social, and academic functioning in youths and may reduce the risk of suicide, substance abuse, and persistence of depressive disorders into adulthood. Evidencesupported treatment interventions have emerged in psychotherapy and medication treatment of childhood depressive disorders that can guide clinicians to improve outcomes in this population.

Deliberate self harm: systematic review of efficacy of psychosocial and pharmacological treatments in preventing repetition

Abstract: Objective: To identify and synthesise the findings from all randomised controlled trials that have examined the effectiveness of treatments of patients who have deliberately harmed themselves. Design: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials of psychosocial and physical treatments. Studies categorised according to type of treatment. When there was more than one investigation in a particular category a summary odds ratio was estimated with the Mantel-Haenszel method. Setting: Randomised trials available in electronic databases in 1996, in the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register in 1997, and from hand searching of journals to 1997. Subjects: Patients who had deliberately harmed themselves shortly before entry into the trials with information on repetition of behaviour. The included trials comprised 2452 randomised participants with outcome data. Main outcome measure: Repetition of self harm. Results: 20 trials reported repetition of self harm as an outcome variable, classified into 10 categories. Summary odds ratio (all for comparison with standard aftercare) indicated reduced repetition for problem solving therapy (0.73; 95% confidence interval 0.45 to 1.18) and for provision of an emergency contact card in addition to standard care (0.45; 0.19 to 1.07). The summary odds ratios were 0.83 (0.61 to 1.14) for trials of intensive aftercare plus outreach and 1.19 (0.53 to 2.67) for antidepressant treatment compared with placebo. Significantly reduced rates of further self harm were observed for depot flupenthixol versus placebo in multiple repeaters (0.09; 0.02 to 0.50) and for dialectical behaviour therapy versus standard aftercare (0.24; 0.06 to 0.93). Conclusion: There remains considerable uncertainty about which forms of psychosocial and physical treatments of patients who harm themselves are most effective. Further larger trials of treatments are needed. Key messages A systematic review of the effectiveness of psychosocial and drug treatments of patients who deliberately harm themselves identified 20 randomised controlled trials in which repetition of self harm was reported as an outcome Promising results were found for problem solving therapy, provision of a card to allow patients to make emergency contact with services, depot flupenthixol for recurrent self harm, and long term psychological therapy for female patients with borderline personality disorder and recurrent self harm Assertive outreach can help to keep patients in treatment Nearly all the trials included too few patients to detect clinically significant differences in repetition of self harm, and even synthesis of results by meta-analysis did not have the power to detect such differences There is an urgent need for large trials of promising therapies for this substantial clinical population

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for autism spectrum disorders (ASD)

Abstract: Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterised by abnormalities in social interaction and communication skills, as well as stereotypic behaviours and restricted activities and interests. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are prescribed for the treatment of conditions often comorbid with ASD such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviours. Objectives To determine if treatment with an SSRI: 1. improves the core features of autism (social interaction, communication and behavioural problems); 2. improves other non-core aspects of behaviour or function such as self-injurious behaviour; 3. improves the quality of life of adults or children and their carers; 4. has short- and long-term effects on outcome; 5. causes harm. Search methods We searched the following databases up until March 2013: CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC and Sociological Abstracts. We also searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). This was supplemented by searching reference lists and contacting known experts in the field. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of any dose of oral SSRI compared with placebo, in people with ASD. Data collection and analysis Two authors independently selected studies for inclusion, extracted data and appraised each study's risk of bias. Main results Nine RCTs with a total of 320 participants were included. Four SSRIs were evaluated: fluoxetine (three studies), fluvoxamine (two studies), fenfluramine (two studies) and citalopram (two studies). Five studies included only children and four studies included only adults. Varying inclusion criteria were used with regard to diagnostic criteria and intelligence quotient of participants. Eighteen different outcome measures were reported. Although more than one study reported data for Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and obsessive-compulsive behaviour (OCB), different tool types or components of these outcomes were used in each study. As such, data were unsuitable for meta-analysis, except for one outcome (proportion improvement). One large, high-quality study in children showed no evidence of positive effect of citalopram. Three small studies in adults showed positive outcomes for CGI and OCB; one study showed improvements in aggression, and another in anxiety. Authors' conclusions There is no evidence of effect of SSRIs in children and emerging evidence of harm. There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of SSRIs in adults from small studies in which risk of bias is unclear.

Efficacy of tricyclic drugs in treating child and adolescent depression: a meta-analysis

Abstract: Objective: To examine whether tricyclic antidepressants are superior to placebo in the treatment of child and adolescent depression. Design: Meta-analysis of 12 randomised controlled trials comparing the efficacy of tricyclic antidepressants with placebo in depressed subjects aged 6-18 years. Main outcome measures: Most studies employed several depression rating scales. For each study the “best available” measure was chosen by using objective criteria, and individual and pooled effect sizes were calculated as the number of standard deviations by which the change scores for the treatment groups exceeded those for the control groups. Where authors had reported numbers “responding” to treatment we calculated individual and pooled ratios for the odds of improvement in treated compared with control subjects. Results: From the six studies presenting data which enabled an estimation of effect size the pooled effect size was 0.35 standard deviations (95% confidence interval of -0.16 to 0.86) indicating no significant benefit of treatment. From the five studies presenting data on the number of “responders” in each group, the ratio of the odds of a response in the treated compared with the control subjects was calculated and the pooled odds ratio was 1.08 (95% confidence interval of 0.53 to 2.17); again indicating no significant benefit of treatment. The pooled sample had more than an 80% chance of detecting a treatment effect of 0.5 standard deviations or greater. There was an inverse relation between study quality and estimated treatment effect. Conclusions: Tricyclic antidepressants appear to be no more effective than placebo in the treatment of depression in children and adolescents. Key messages Key messages Previous studies, and narrative reviews of the topic, have shown that tricyclic antidepressants are of equivocal benefit in juvenile depression * This meta-analysis of 12 randomised double blind placebo controlled trials found an overall small but clinically non-significant treatment effect Tricyclic drugs are not recommended as a first line treatment for depression in children and adolescents

Acute and Longer- Term Outcomes in Depressed Outpatients Requiring One or Several Treatment Steps: A STAR*D Report

Abstract: Objective: This report describes the participants and compares the acute and longer-term treatment outcomes associated with each of four successive steps in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial. Method: A broadly representative adult outpatient sample with nonpsychotic major depressive disorder received one (N=3,671) to four (N=123) successive acute treatment steps. Those not achieving remission with or unable to tolerate a treatment step were encouraged to move to the next step. Those with an acceptable benefit, preferably symptom remission, from any particular step could enter a 12-month naturalistic follow-up phase. A score of ≤5 on the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology–Self-Report (QIDS-SR 16 ) (equivalent to ≤7 on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [HRSD 17 ]) defined remission; a QIDS-SR 16 total score of ≥11 (HRSD 17 ≥14) defined relapse. Results: The QIDS-SR 16 remission rates were 36.8%, 30.6%, 13.7%, and 13.0% for the first, second, t...