Ten-year outcome: patients with schizoaffective disorders, schizophrenia, affective disorders and mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms.
BACKGROUND
It is unclear whether outcome in schizoaffective disorders is more similar to schizophrenia or affective disorders.


OBJECTIVE
To provide longitudinal data on clinical course and outcome in schizoaffective disorders versus schizophrenia and affective disorders, and determine whether mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms have negative prognostic implications.


METHODS
A total of 210 patients with schizoaffective disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar manic disorders and depression were assessed at hospitalisation and then followed up four times over 10 years.


RESULTS
At all four follow-ups, fewer patients with schizoaffective disorders than with schizophrenia showed uniformly poor outcome. Patients with mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms during index hospitalisation showed significantly poorer subsequent outcome (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Schizoaffective outcome was better than schizophrenic outcome and poorer than outcome for psychotic affective disorders. Mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms have negative prognostic implications. The results could fit a symptom dimension view of schizoaffective course.
Harrow
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Grossman
L S
LS
Herbener
E S
ES
Davies
E W
EW
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome