Delusional parasitosis. A multicenter retrospective study in Spanish infectious disease services

Rodríguez‐Alonso, Beatriz; Álvarez-Artero, E.; Martínez-Goñi, Raquel; Almeida, Hugo; Casado‐Espada, Nerea M.; Jaén-Sánchez, Nieves; Velasco‐Tirado, Virginia; Belhassen‐García, Moncef; Pérez-Arellano, José-Luis

doi:10.1016/j.eimc.2020.07.009

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…A longer duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) was correlated positively with worse outcomes, which suggested that early detection and treatment of DD could improve the prognosis, at least for the delusional infestation form of the disorder. These findings were consistent with previous studies in delusional parasitosis, 68 notably with those from specialty clinics in Austria. 69 Two recent studies also confirmed that later age at the onset and longer DUP in delusional infestation was associated with a poor outcome.…”

Section: Substance Use Disorderssupporting

confidence: 93%

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Primary and Secondary Prevention in Delusional Disorder

González-Rodríguez¹,

Seeman²

2022

J Explor Res Pharmacol

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Background and objectives: Delusional disorder (DD), once entrenched, responds poorly to currently available treatment. This calls for community and individual preventive measures. Our goal was to conduct a literature review exploring the possibilities of prevention.Methods: This is a narrative review based on the PubMed database from inception until July 2022. Search terms were "delusional disorder" OR "delusional psychosis", AND "prevention," OR "early detection," OR "early treatment." Results:We found very little literature specific to DD, but considerable evidence for primary and secondary preventive strategies in use for delusional psychosis (a psychotic illness with prominent delusions). Community strategies included addressing socioeconomic disadvantage and mental health stigma, improving mental health service accessibility, screening for and treating potential precursors to DD, such as sensory and cognitive deficits, as well as psychiatric. symptoms such as depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and substance abuse. Secondary community prevention relied on early detection programs and specialized services for early treatment of DD symptoms and their co-morbidities. Individual forms of secondary prevention were interventions especially geared toward illness denial, treatment nonresponse and antipsychotic (AP) refusal. Effective secondary prevention reduced symptom intensity and diminished the risk for fatal outcomes such as suicide.Conclusions: Based mostly on the evidence from related disorders, preventive and early treatment strategies, when put into

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Section: Substance Use Disorderssupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Their early and comprehensive treatment reduces DD symptoms and prevents sequelae, such as self-and-other injury and suicide. 68 Demographic factors, such as age, gender, employment, marriage or minority, parental, and immigrant status usually require specially tailored and targeted interventions. 86,87…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Primary and Secondary Prevention in Delusional Disorder

González-Rodríguez¹,

Seeman²

2022

J Explor Res Pharmacol

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“…Notably, 4 (80%) out of 5 cases of delusion of parasitosis and 5 out of 7 cases of somatoform disorders were identified in patients with anxiety disorders. Although delusions of parasitosis have been previously linked to anxiety disorders [ 42 ], most researchers have presented differing associations with various psychiatric conditions [ 36 , 43 , 44 ]. Consequently, the exact relationship between delusional parasitosis and specific comorbid psychiatric conditions remains controversial.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychodermatological Disorders in Patients With Primary Psychiatric Conditions: Cross-Sectional Study

Ajani,

Olanrewaju,

Oninla

et al. 2023

JMIR Dermatol

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Background Psychodermatological disorders (PDs) and their associations with mental health problems are one of the most frequent research themes in dermatology outpatient settings. Surprisingly, very few studies have been conducted to evaluate PDs among patients with primary psychiatric conditions. As such, the relationship between preexisting psychiatric conditions and comorbid PDs is underrepresented in the literature. Objective This study examined the prevalence and distribution of PDs among adults with primary psychiatric conditions and determined their association with underlying psychiatric diagnoses. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis at a tertiary health care facility in southwestern Nigeria. Comorbid PDs were identified and classified using preexisting classification systems. A bivariate analysis was conducted to determine the association between PDs and underlying psychiatric conditions. The level of statistical significance was set at P<.05. Results The study included 107 patients with mental health disorders, of whom 64 (59.8%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 40.73 (SD 13.08) years. A total of 75 (75/107, 70%) patients had at least one comorbid PD. The prevalence of PDs was highest in patients with affective disorders (15/20, 75%) and least in those with schizophrenia (45/66, 68%). PDs associated with delusions or hallucinations and somatoform symptoms were 9 and 13 times more frequent in patients with anxiety disorders compared to those with other psychiatric conditions (P=.01; odds ratio [OR] 9.88, 95% CI 1.67-58.34 and P=.003; OR 13.13, 95% CI 2.34-73.65), respectively. In contrast, patients with schizophrenia were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with dermatoses resulting from delusions or hallucinations (P=.002; OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.00-0.75). A weak but significant negative association was also found between psychophysiological PDs and anxiety disorders (ϕ=–0.236; P=.02). Conclusions This study provides important insights into the overwhelming burden of psychodermatological conditions in patients with mental health disorders and specific associations with underlying psychiatric diagnosis.

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“…The entire process of treatment for patients with DP can sometimes be problematic, and this can be one of the reasons for why it is very important for physicians to be able to build an effective doctor-patient relationship for the maintenance of the compliance of the patients. Therefore, for proper management, a multidisciplinary approach is recommended, especially because these patients are considered to be a medical challenge most of the time [101][102][103].…”

Section: The Importance Of a Multidisciplinary Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights into the Medical Evaluation of Ekbom Syndrome: An Overview

Mindru,

Radu,

Bumbu

et al. 2024

IJMS

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Ekbom syndrome, also known as delusional parasitosis (DP) or delusional infestation, is an uncommon psychiatric disorder distinguished by an enduring conviction of parasitic infestation, persisting notwithstanding the presence of medical evidence to the contrary. Primarily affecting middle-aged women, DP can manifest either as isolated psychological distress or as a component within a more intricate psychiatric framework, substantially influencing the quality of life for affected individuals. Its pathophysiological mechanism involves uncertain dopaminergic imbalances and dysfunction in the dopamine transporter system. Dermatologists often play a pivotal role in diagnosis, as patients first seek dermatological assessments of their signs and symptoms. However, DP frequently originates from underlying psychiatric disorders or medical variables, manifesting with neurological and infectious causative factors. The diagnostic complexity is attributed to patients’ resolute convictions, leading to delayed psychiatric intervention. First-line DP treatment involves antipsychotics, with newer agents demonstrating promising prospects, but the lack of standardized protocols poses a significant therapeutic challenge. In this narrative review, both a comprehensive approach to this uncommon pathology and an update on the state of knowledge in this medical subfield focused on optimizing the management of DP are provided. The complexity of DP underlying its uncommon nature and the incomplete understanding of its pathophysiology highlight the need for further research through multicenter studies and multidisciplinary teams to enhance therapeutic efficacy and safety.

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Delusional parasitosis. A multicenter retrospective study in Spanish infectious disease services

Cited by 5 publications

References 23 publications

Primary and Secondary Prevention in Delusional Disorder

Primary and Secondary Prevention in Delusional Disorder

Psychodermatological Disorders in Patients With Primary Psychiatric Conditions: Cross-Sectional Study

Insights into the Medical Evaluation of Ekbom Syndrome: An Overview

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