Acute polymorphic psychotic disorder: diagnostic stability over 3 years.
OBJECTIVE
Acute polymorphic psychotic disorder without symptoms of schizophrenia (APPD) in ICD-10 is unique in many characteristics. This study aimed at investigating the diagnostic stability of APPD over 3 years.


METHODS
Forty-five patients with first episode APPD were followed up and assessed at regular intervals over a period of 3 years.


RESULTS
Thirty-two patients were females. Average age of the sample was 26.9 years. Thirty-three cases retained their index diagnosis of APPD, while 12 cases required diagnostic revision: 10 to bipolar affective disorder and the rest to unspecified non-organic psychosis. Shorter duration of illness (<1 month) and abrupt onset (<48 h) predicted a stable diagnosis of APPD.


CONCLUSIONS
APPD is a relatively stable diagnosis and argues for a distinct diagnostic entity.
Sajith
S G
SG
Department of Psychiatry, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India. sajithsg@yahoo.com
Chandrasekaran
R
R
Sadanandan Unni
K E
KE
Sahai
A
A
D000208:Acute Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors