Concordance of acute and transient psychoses and cycloid psychoses.
OBJECTIVE
We prospectively investigated a sample of 42 patients with acute and transient psychotic disorder (ATPD) as defined by the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10; F23) to determine the clinical and demographic features of this entity and its relationship to cycloid psychoses.


METHODS
During a 5-year period, all in-patients with ATPD were identified. We systematically evaluated demographic and clinical features and carried out follow-up investigations on average 2 years after the index episode, using standardised instruments.


RESULTS
We found 42 cases of ATPD (4.1%) among 1,036 patients treated for psychotic disorders or a major affective episode. There was a marked female preponderance in ATPD (79%). Fifty-five percent of cases concurrently met the criteria of cycloid psychosis according to Perris and Brockington [in Perris C, Struwe G, Jansson B (eds): Biological Psychiatry. Amsterdam, Elsevier, 1981, pp 447-450]. There was no difference in gender distribution between cycloid and non-cycloid ATPD. As expected, abrupt onset and polymorphic features were significantly more common in cycloid than in non- cycloid ATPD. At follow-up, patients with cycloid ATPD showed less persistent alterations and better social functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
ATPD as defined by ICD-10 is a heterogeneous category. A diagnosis of cycloid psychosis is made in half of the cases of ATPD, and in these cases, the prognosis is more favourable.
Pillmann
F
F
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany. frank.pillmann@medizin.uni-halle.de
Haring
A
A
Balzuweit
S
S
Blöink
R
R
Marneros
A
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003527:Cyclothymic Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology