[Comparative study of life quality in patients with cycloid and schizophrenic psychoses].
BACKGROUND
Cycloid psychoses represent a nosological entity not adequately recognised by contemporary psychiatry. They show full recovery after each episode and thus have a favourable prognosis.


METHODS
Course, psychiatric status, social function, and quality of life (QoL) of 33 patients with cycloid psychosis and 44 schizophrenics were compared (CGI, PANSS, GAF, Strauss-Carpenter,WHOQOL-BREF).Also, 48 controls were asked to rate their QoL.


RESULTS
The schizophrenics developed symptoms earlier in life (P=0.009) and were hospitalized longer (P=0.001) and more frequently(P=0.01) than patients with cycloid psychosis. The latter showed better scores in the applied scales (P<0.0001). In QoL measures, cycloid psychotic patients were more satisfied than schizophrenic patients in three of four domains(P<0.01). Only in one domain did they differ from controls (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Cycloid psychoses display better course, outcome, and QoL than schizophrenia.Thus, they appear to present a useful concept deserving more clinical and scientific attention.
Jabs
B
B
Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg. burkhard.jabs@mail.uni-wuerzburg.de
Krause
U
U
Althaus
G
G
Stöber
G
G
Pfuhlmann
B
B
D000328:Adult; D003527:Cyclothymic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index