title: Predictors of antipsychotic treatment response in patients with first-episode schizophrenia, schizoaffective and schizophreniform disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) may contribute to the observed heterogeneity of the treatment response in first-episode schizophrenia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship of DUP and premorbid function with clinical outcomes following up to 2 years of antipsychotic treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  For a subsample (n=191) of subjects participating in a clinical trial, DUP and premorbid function were prospectively compared with clinical response to olanzapine or haloperidol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shorter DUP and good premorbid function each independently are associated with better clinical response, including improvement in overall psychopathology and negative symptoms. Premorbid function also is associated with positive symptom, social and vocational outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Earlier antipsychotic treatment is associated with better outcomes in first-episode schizophrenia. Poor premorbid function could indicate an illness subtype less likely to respond to antipsychotic treatment regardless of when it is instituted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599-7160, USA.Diana_perkins@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lieberman
authors.forename: Hongbin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tohen
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McEvoy
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zipursky
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strakowski
authors.forename: Tonmoy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gur
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tollefson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077152:Olanzapine; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D006220:Haloperidol; D000077152:Olanzapine