Fifteen-year follow-up of ICD-10 schizoaffective disorders compared with schizophrenia and affective disorders.
OBJECTIVE
The nosological status of schizoaffective disorders is still unclear. The aim of the present study was to compare ICD-10 schizoaffective disorders to schizophrenia and affective disorders with respect to the clinical picture and the long-term outcome.


METHODS
Two hundred and forty-one first-admitted inpatients from the years 1980-1982 who fulfilled the ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia, schizoaffective or affective disorders were included. Patients were examined at the time of first hospitalization and then followed-up after 15 years.


RESULTS
With respect to the clinical picture at the time of first hospitalization ICD-10 schizoaffective disorders were distinguishable from both schizophrenia and affective disorders. However, with respect to the long-term outcome ICD-10 schizoaffective disorders had a prognosis similar to that of affective disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
Differing prognosis implies that schizoaffective disorders should be distinguished from schizophrenia and suggests their subcategorization under affective disorders.
Jäger
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. markus.jaeger@psy.med.uni-muenchen.de
Bottlender
R
R
Strauss
A
A
Möller
H-J
HJ
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index