Factors associated with schizophrenic evolution after a first episode psychosis

IntroductionThe evolution of a first episode psychosis is a fundamental question, despite its unpredictability. It affects the type of management and drug treatment. In this context, schizophrenia, a disabling psychiatric disease, remains the most formidable evolution.ObjectiveAssess the frequency and factors associated with schizophrenic evolution after a first episode psychosis.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective, descriptive and analytic study including 55 patients hospitalized in psychiatry department, Hédi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia, during 7 years (from 2007 to 2013), then managed in the outpatient department. We collected socio-demographic, clinical and evolutive data from clinical observations.ResultsThe mean age was 26.5 years. Sex ratio (M/F) was 2.9. Among our patients, 74.5% were single and 49.1% had no profession. A trigger factor of this episode was noted in 43.6% and a break with the previous functioning in 63.6% of cases. A schizoid personality was reported in 74.5% of the population. All patients presented positive symptoms, 96.4% had negative symptoms and 61.8% presented mood symptoms.Schizophrenic evolution was reported in 38.2% of patients. Factors associated with this evolution were: masculine gender (P = 0.004), social isolation (P = 0.009); absence of mood symptoms (P < 0.001) and mental automatism (P = 0.043).ConclusionOur study shows some factors associated with schizophrenic evolution after a first episode psychosis. The identification of these factors, as well as other factors reported in the literature is essential to allow early and adequate support, and ensure a better social integration.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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First-episode psychosis: What does it mean?

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.656 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. s258-s258

Author(s):

S. Marques ◽

F. Godinho ◽

A.L. Melo ◽

D. Barrocas

Keyword(s):

Real World ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

First Episode ◽

Real World Setting ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Competing Interest ◽

Disorganized Speech ◽

Psychotic Features

IntroductionFirst-Episode Psychosis (FEP) is a variable condition, characterized by the emergence of new psychotic features for a period of at least 1 week. The majority of existing studies about FEP only address schizophrenia spectrum psychosis (SSP), which may limit the capacity to fully characterize this entity.Objectives/AimsReport the clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of patients with FEP in real-world setting, and compare the differences among SSP and affective FEP.MethodsRetrospective analysis of clinical files of patients admitted to our hospital unit with FEP diagnosis from January/2012 to April/2015. Clinician-rated dimensions of psychosis symptom severity scales (DSM-5) were applied.ResultsAnnual incidence of FEP was 11,3/100,000. From a total of 755 patients, 57 (7,5%) corresponded to FEP; 38 (66,7%) were diagnosed with SSP, 11 (19,3%) affective psychosis, 3 (5,2%) toxic psychosis and 5 (8,8%) organic psychosis. Most were female (61,4%), with a mean age of 49 years. The majority were unemployed (66,7%), lived with family (57,9%), and presented with moderate-severe delusions (80,1%), but without hallucinations (57,8%), disorganized speech (59,6%) or negative symptoms (85,9%). Affective FEP patients were older (61 vs 45 years), presented with less severe psychotic symptoms (7,2 vs 8,3 points), but with higher hospital admission (26,1 vs 21,1 days).ConclusionsRegardless the growing interest concerning FEP, its conceptualization and characterization remains controversial. Our results differ from pre-existing literature data, especially concerning gender and age. By including all the possible etiologies of FEP, we aimed to obtain a more realistic characterization of this entity in a real-world setting.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Substance abuse in first episode psychosis: Baseline characteristics and clinical outcome

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.2180 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S587-S587 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. Toll ◽

A. Mané ◽

D. Bergé ◽

V. Pérez-Solà

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Younger Age ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Baseline Characteristics ◽

Competing Interest ◽

Gaf Scores

IntroductionThere are high rates of substance use disorders (SUD) amongst first episode psychosis (FEP). SUD have been linked to better premorbid adjustment, more severe positive and negative symptoms at presentation and poorer symptomatic and functional outcome [1]. Moreover, shorter duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) has been described as an important predictor of outcome in FEP [2].AimsWith this study, we want to know which baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes differ between FEP patients with and without substance use.MethodsOne hundred and seventy-five FEP were consecutively admitted to Hospital del Mar since January 2008 to September 2014 and entered the FEP programme of the institution. The included evaluation was socio-demographic and clinical data at baseline and 1 year follow-up. We studied differences in age, gender, DUP, GAF scores at baseline and 1 year follow-up and PANSS subscale scores at base and 1 year follow-up between substance users and non-users.ResultsCannabis: we found that users were significative younger (P < 0.01), had a higher proportion of males (P < 0.01) and a significative shorter DUP in users (P = 0.008).Alcohol: we found that users were significative younger (P < 0.009), had a higher proportion of males (P < 0.003) and a significative lower PANNS negative scores at baseline (P = 0.01) and 1 year follow-up (P = 0.03).ConclusionsIn our sample of first episode psychosis, cannabis and alcohol use is linked with a younger age and a high proportion of males. Moreover, it seems that cannabis use could be associated with a shorter DUP.References not available.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Risk factors associated with treatment-resistant schizophrenia in first-episode psychosis

Revista Debates em Psiquiatria ◽

10.25118/2236-918x-7-4-1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol Ano 7 ◽

pp. 8-12

Author(s):

Ana Beatriz de Oliveira Assis ◽

Jayse Gimenez Pereira Brandão ◽

Pedro Otávio Piva Espósito ◽

Osmar Tessari Junior ◽

Bruno Berlucci Ortiz

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Treatment Resistant ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Syndrome Scale ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Negative Syndrome

Objetivo: Ainda não está claro quais são os fatores de risco para a esquizofrenia resistente ao tratamento (ERT) em primeiro episódio psicótico (PEP). O objetivo deste trabalho é investigar indicadores de risco para ERT em PEP. Métodos: Foram selecionados 53 pacientes em primeiro episódio psicótico, com diagnóstico de esquizofrenia, que deram entrada à enfermaria de psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas Luzia de Pinho Melo entre 2011 e 2015. Ao ser admitido na enfermaria, o paciente era avaliado com a Escala de Sintomas para as Síndromes Positiva e Negativa (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale – PANSS) e recebia tratamento inicial por 4 semanas. Caso sua resposta fosse inferior a 40% de redução na PANSS, o antipsicótico era trocado, e as escalas eram aplicadas novamente após mais 4 semanas. Após a falha com dois antipsicóticos, em doses plenas, por 4 semanas cada, a clozapina era introduzida, e o paciente era considerado ERT. Uma regressão logística foi aplicada onde sexo, idade de início, tempo de doença não tratada, uso de substâncias, avaliação global do funcionamento inicial e PANSS inicial total foram inseridos como variáveis independentes, e ERT foi inserida como variável dependente. Resultados: Tempo de doença não tratada apresentou significância de p = 0,038 e Exp (B) = 4,29, enquanto que PANSS total apresentou p = 0,012 e Exp (B) = 1,06. Conclusão: Identificar os fatores associados à resistência precoce ao tratamento poderia permitir aos clínicos evitar o atraso na introdução da clozapina e prevenir um pior prognóstico para esses pacientes.

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Longitudinal assessment of negative symptoms in early onset first episode psychosis

10.26226/morressier.5b681763b56e9b005965c031 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Maria Garcia Traverso

Keyword(s):

Early Onset ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Longitudinal Assessment ◽

Episode Psychosis

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Conceptual disorganization and redistribution of resting state cortical hubs in untreated first episode psychosis: A 7T MRI study

10.31234/osf.io/rzvby ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Avyarthana Dey ◽

Kara Dempster ◽

Michael Mackinley ◽

Peter Jeon ◽

Tushar Das ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Symptoms ◽

Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽

Brain Regions ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Cortical Reorganization ◽

First Episode ◽

Formal Thought Disorder ◽

Whole Brain ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Positive And Negative Symptoms

Background:Network level dysconnectivity has been studied in positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Conceptual disorganization (CD) is a symptom subtype which predicts impaired real-world functioning in psychosis. Systematic reviews have reported aberrant connectivity in formal thought disorder, a construct related to CD. However, no studies have investigated whole-brain functional correlates of CD in psychosis. We sought to investigate brain regions explaining the severity of CD in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEPs) compared with healthy controls (HCs).Methods:We computed whole-brain binarized degree centrality maps of 31 FEPs, 25 HCs and characterized the patterns of network connectivity in the two groups. In FEPs, we related these findings to the severity of CD. We also studied the effect of positive and negative symptoms on altered network connectivity.Results:Compared to HCs, reduced hubness of a right superior temporal gyrus (rSTG) cluster was observed in the FEPs. In patients exhibiting high CD, increased hubness of a medial superior parietal (mSPL) cluster was observed, compared to patients exhibiting low CD. These two regions were strongly correlated with CD scores but not with other symptom scores.Discussion:Our observations are congruent with previous findings of reduced but not increased hubness. We observed increased hubness of mSPL suggesting that cortical reorganization occurs to provide alternate routes for information transfer.Conclusion:These findings provide insight into the underlying neural processes mediating the presentation of symptoms in untreated FEP. A longitudinal tracking of the symptom course will be useful to assess the mechanisms underlying these compensatory changes.

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P.553 Negative symptoms correlate with social functioning in first-episode psychosis: results from a cross-sectional study

European Neuropsychopharmacology ◽

10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.09.405 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 40 ◽

pp. S313-S314

Author(s):

L.A. Fernandes ◽

F. Ferreira ◽

I. Figueiredo ◽

R. Gasparinho ◽

F. Viegas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Functioning ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Episode Psychosis

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Patterns and predictors of hospitalisation in first-episode psychosis

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.178.6.518 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 178 (6) ◽

pp. 518-523 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Attila Sipos ◽

Glynn Harrison ◽

David Gunnell ◽

Shazad Amin ◽

Swaran P. Singh

Keyword(s):

Negative Symptoms ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Psychiatric Services ◽

First Episode ◽

Psychotic Episode ◽

Duration Of Untreated Illness ◽

Specialist Services ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Episode Psychosis

BackgroundLittle is known about predictors of hospitalisation in patients with first-episode psychosis.AimsTo identify the pattern and predictors of hospitalisation of patients with a first psychotic episode making their first contact with specialist services.MethodThree-year follow-up of a cohort of 166 patients with a first episode of psychosis making contact with psychiatric services in Nottingham between June 1992 and May 1994.ResultsEighty-eight (53.0%) patients were admitted within 1 week of presentation; 32 (19.3%) were never admitted during the 3 years of follow-up. Manic symptoms at presentation were associated with an increased risk of rapid admission and an increased overall risk of admission; negative symptoms and a longer duration of untreated illness had an increased risk of late admission.ConclusionsCommunity-oriented psychiatric services might only delay, rather than prevent, admission of patients with predominantly negative symptoms and a longer duration of untreated illness. First-episode studies based upon first admissions are likely to be subject to selection biases, which may limit their representativeness.

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Exploring the relationship between recency and frequency of cannabis use and diminished expression and apathy as two dimensions of negative symptoms in first episode psychosis. A one-year follow-up study

Schizophrenia Research ◽

10.1016/j.schres.2021.08.004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 236 ◽

pp. 89-96

Author(s):

Henrik Myhre Ihler ◽

Trine Vik Lagerberg ◽

Siv Hege Lyngstad ◽

Ingrid Melle ◽

Kristin Lie Romm

Keyword(s):

Negative Symptoms ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

First Episode ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

One Year ◽

The Relationship

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Characterising Usage of a Multicomponent Digital Intervention to Predict Treatment Outcomes in First-Episode Psychosis: A Cluster Analysis (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.29211 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shaunagh O'Sullivan ◽

Lianne Schmaal ◽

Simon D'Alfonso ◽

Yara J Toenders ◽

Lee Valentine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Treatment Outcomes ◽

Social Functioning ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

User Profile ◽

First Episode Psychosis ◽

First Episode ◽

User Profiles ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Social Components

BACKGROUND Multicomponent digital interventions offer the potential for tailored and flexible interventions that aim to address high attrition rates and increase engagement, an area of concern in digital mental health. However, increased flexibility in usage makes it difficult to determine which components lead to improved treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify user profiles on Horyzons, an 18-month digital relapse prevention intervention that incorporates therapeutic content and social networking, along with clinical, vocational and peer support, and to examine the predictive value of these user profiles for treatment outcomes. A secondary objective was to compare each user profile with young people receiving treatment as usual (TAU). METHODS Participants comprised 82 young people (16-27 years of age) with access to Horyzons and 84 receiving TAU, recovering from first-episode psychosis. Six-month usage data from the therapy and social networking components of Horyzons were used as features for K-means clustering for joint trajectories to identify user profiles. Social functioning, psychotic symptoms, depression and anxiety were assessed at baseline and six-month follow-up. General linear mixed models were used to examine the predictive value of user profiles for treatment outcomes, and between each user profile with TAU. RESULTS Three user profiles were identified based on system usage metrics including: (a) low usage; (b) maintained usage of social components; and (c) maintained usage of both therapy and social components. The maintained therapy and social group showed improvements in social functioning (F (2, 51) = 3.58; P = .04), negative symptoms (F (2, 51) = 4.45; P = .02) and overall psychiatric symptom severity (F (2, 50) = 3.23; P = .048) compared to the other user profiles. This group also showed improvements in social functioning (F (1, 62) = 4.68; P = .03), negative symptoms (F (1, 62) = 14.61; P = <.001) and overall psychiatric symptom severity (F (1, 63) = 5.66; P = .02) compared to TAU. Conversely, the maintained social group showed increases in anxiety compared to TAU (F (1, 57) = 7.65; P = .01). No differences were found between the low usage group and TAU on treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Continued engagement with both therapy and social components might be key in achieving long-term recovery. Maintained social usage and low usage outcomes were broadly comparable to TAU, emphasizing the importance of maintaining engagement for improved treatment outcomes. Although the social network may be a key ingredient to increase sustained engagement, as users engaged with this more consistently, it should be leveraged as a tool to engage young people with therapeutic content to bring about social and clinical benefits.

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