title: First hospitalized versus rehospitalized patients with an affective disorder or schizophrenia: differences in long-term course and outcome.
abstract: A comparison of course and outcome in schizophrenics and patients with unipolar affective disorders revealed significant differences not only between the two groups but also between first hospitalized and rehospitalized patients within each group. While schizophrenics fared worse in almost all parameters at the end of the 14-year follow-up period, within each group overall course and outcome were also poorer for rehospitalized versus first hospitalized patients. The poorest course was shown by rehospitalized schizophrenics. Future studies on course and outcome should differentiate between first and rehospitalized patients.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Center for Nervous Diseases, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Vetter
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Köller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia