Martina Rojnic-Kuzman, Croatia

Zagreb School of Medicine and ZagUniversity Hospital Centre Department of Psychiatry
Martina Rojnic Kuzman, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, at the Zagreb School of medicine, University of Zagreb (ZSM) and Zagreb University Hospital centre (ZUHC), Dept. of psychiatry. She is actively involved in clinical and research work with patients with first episode psychosis and patients with schizophrenia, and currently is the partner and principal researcher from the ZUHC for the project RECOVER-E (LaRge-scalE implementation of COmmunity based mental health care for people with seVere and Enduring mental ill health in EuRopE) (2018-2022), funded by the programme Horizon 2020. She was the principal investigator of the project Biomarkers in schizophrenia – integration of complementary methods in longitudinal follow up of first episode psychosis patients (2015-2018), funded by the Croatian Science Foundation and the international project mPIVAS:m-health Psychoeducational Intervention Versus Antipsychotic-Induced Side-efefcts, that is funded by the European Union (Life Learning Programmes, Leonardo da Vinci Partnership), (2013-2015). She has published more than 80 expert and scientific papers, and serves as member of the editorial board of the European Psychiatry (2019 - ), associate editor in the International Journal of Mental Health Systems (2019 - ) and Psychiatria Danubina ( 2011.-). She is actively involved in professional associations at international and national level, serving as secretary general of the Croatian Psychiatric Association (CPA) (2014-), and Board member of the European Psychiatric Association (2017 - ), continuing former activities (president of the European Federation of Psychiatry Trainees (2008-2011); president and founder of the Croatian Section of Young Psychiatrists and Trainees, CPA (2005-2009); Board Member of the ECPC - EPA (2009 - 2013) and chair of the ECPC - EPA (2013-2015). She is teaching students at the Zagreb School of Medicine, since 2003, also having mentorship of doctoral and graduate thesis, and students research work.

Presenter of 3 Presentations

Mental Health Policy 08:40 - 09:00

Can Psychosocial Treatment Reduce Antipsychotic-Induced Metabolic Disturbances in Patients with First Episode Psychosis? - S152

Abstract

Abstract Body

Weight gain and metabolic abnormalities associated with antipsychotic medication are major challenges in the treatment of patients with first episode psychosis. Unfortunately, current strategies for preventing or reducing these side effects are not successful. This study aims to analyse the effects of a multimodal treatment program for first episode psychosis on metabolic changes during the first 18th months of treatment. 71 patients who were treated at the Zagreb University Hospital Centre for first acute psychotic episode from 2016 until 2018, were included in the study. After 3-4-week long hospital treatment, patients attended either the day hospital program or treatment as usual (TAU) consisting of short outpatients visit once a month. We monitored baseline and final body weight, blood glucose, lipids and cholesterol as primary outcome measures and psychopathology and global level of functioning as secondary outcome measures. After the adjustment for age, gender and baseline measures, the type of treatment was not significantly associated with any of the primary outcome measures and both types of treatment were relatively ineffective in counteracting medication-induced metabolic abnormalities and weight gain. Patients' psychopathology measures significantly decreased, and their functional level significantly increased at month 18th compared to the baseline values in both groups. Thus, even though both treatment options reduced psychopathology and helped restoring the patients' level of functioning over the first 18 months of treatment, it is possible that over a longer period the negative effect of medication associated metabolic side effects may surpass the beneficial effect on the psychiatric disorder.

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