While the COVID-19 pandemic continues, patients with pre-existing mental disorders are increasingly recognized as a risk group for adverse outcomes. However, data are conflicting and cover only short time spans so far. Here, we investigate the medium-term and peri-lockdown-related changes of mental health outcomes in such patients in a longitudinal study. A cohort of 159 patients comprising all major mental disorders (ICD-10 F0-F9) were interviewed twice with the Goettingen psychosocial Burden and Symptom Inventory (Goe-BSI) to evaluate psychosocial burden, psychiatric symptoms and resilience at the end of the first (April/May 2020) and the second lockdown in Germany (November/December 2020). For the primary outcome “psychosocial burden” ratings also comprised retrospective pre-pandemic (early 2020) and very early states during the pandemic (March 2020). For all diagnostic groups, psychosocial burden varied significantly over time (p < 0.001) with an increase from the pre-pandemic to the initial phase (p < 0.001), followed by a steady decrease across both lockdowns, normalizing in November/December 2020. Female gender, high adjustment disorder symptom load at baseline and psychiatric comorbidities were risk factors for higher levels and an unfavorable course of psychosocial burden. Most psychiatric symptoms changed minimally, while resilience decreased over time (p = 0.044 and p = 0.037). The longitudinal course of psychosocial burden indicates an initial stress response, followed by a return to pre-pandemic levels even under recurrent lockdown conditions, mimicking symptoms of an adjustment disorder. Strategies for proactive, specific and continuous treatment have to address resilience capacities before their depletion in the pandemic aftermath, especially for patients with additional risk factors.

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to assess the pharmacological treatment strategies of inpatients with borderline personality disorder between 2008 and 2012. Additionally, we compared pharmacotherapy during this period to a previous one (1996 to 2004).MethodsCharts of 87 patients with the main diagnosis of borderline personality disorder receiving inpatient treatment in the University Medical Center of Goettingen, Germany, between 2008 and 2012 were evaluated retrospectively. For each inpatient treatment, psychotropic drug therapy including admission and discharge medication was documented. We compared the prescription rates of the interval 2008–2012 with the interval 1996–2004.Results94% of all inpatients of the interval 2008–2012 were treated with at least one psychotropic drug at time of discharge. All classes of psychotropic drugs were applied. We found high prescription rates of naltrexone (35.6%), quetiapine (19.5%), mirtazapine (18.4%), sertraline (12.6%), and escitalopram (11.5%). Compared to 1996–2004, rates of low-potency antipsychotics, tri−/tetracyclic antidepressants and mood stabilizers significantly decreased while usage of naltrexone significantly increased.ConclusionsIn inpatient settings, pharmacotherapy is still highly prevalent in the management of BPD. Prescription strategies changed between 1996 and 2012. Quetiapine was preferred, older antidepressants and low-potency antipsychotics were avoided. Opioid antagonists are increasingly used and should be considered for further investigation.

Objective: The endogenous opioid system is assumed to be involved in the pathophysiology of borderline personality disorder (BPD), and opioid antagonists may improve core features of BPD. The aim of this retrospective chart analysis was to evaluate the relative contribution of the opioid antagonist naltrexone and other psychotropic drugs in the improvement of overall symptomatology in BPD. Methods:One hundred sixty-one inpatients with BPD treated between January 2010 and October 2013 were classified as either treatment responders or nonresponders. Treatment responders were defined as subjects with significant improvements in four or more symptoms from a defined symptom list. The relative contribution of all psychotropic drugs to improvement of BPD symptomatology was assessed by means of a stepwise logistic regression.Results: None of the drugs applied contributed significantly to improvement, with the exception of naltrexone (odds ratio [OR] 43.2, p ≤ 0.0001). Patients treated with naltrexone (N = 55, 34%) recovered significantly more often. Higher doses of naltrexone were more effective (OR 791.8, p ≤ 0.0001) than lower doses (OR 26.6, p ≤ 0.0001); however, even low-dose treatment was better than any other pharmacological treatment.Conclusions: Naltrexone was associated with improvement in BPD in a dosedependent manner. The present study provides additional evidence that dysregulation of the endogenous opioid system is implicated in the pathophysiology of BPD symptoms.

Introduction: Although 85% of inpatients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) receive psychotropic drug treatment, no drug is approved for this indication so far. A dysregulation of the endogenous opioid system (EOS) has been posed to underly the neurobiology of BPD. Accordingly, the opioid antagonist naltrexone might be helpful to treat symptoms of BPD. Two small studies showed limited differences of naltrexone vs. placebo on dissociation, which were not significant, perhaps due to the low power of the studies: Aims and Objectives: Naltrexone was administered in treatment-refractory patients with BPD in a university department of psychiatry. This study aimed to assess the relative contribution of naltrexone and other psychopharmacological drugs to the improvement of overall symptomatology in patients with BPD. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the charts of inpatients (n=161) with BPD was performed. Patients were classified as either treatment responders or non-responders. As all patients received multiple psychopharmacological treatments, stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to detect, which drug contributed most to improvement of symptomatology. Results: None of the drugs applied contributed significantly to improvement, with the exception of naltrexone (odds ratio, p=2,9) Patients treated with naltrexone (n=55, 34,16%) recovered significantly more often and faster and, in particular, showed highly significant reduction of self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Higher doses of naltrexone treatment were more effective than low-dose treatment; however, the latter was still better than any other treatment. Conclusion: Large-scale double-blind studies are warranted to examine the efficacy of opioid antagonists (naltrexone, nalmefene) in BPD.

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