Recovery from schizophrenic psychoses within the northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort.
BACKGROUND
Because of widely disparate findings from follow-up studies, the likelihood of recovery from schizophrenia remains controversial. We report the extent of recovery from schizophrenia in a population-based cohort.


METHODS
Subjects with psychotic disorders were recruited from the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort. Of the 91 subjects who agreed to participate, 59 were diagnosed with schizophrenia and 12 were diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (schizophreniform psychosis, schizoaffective or delusional disorder) by DSM-III-R criteria. Diagnoses were established by interviewing the subjects, checking the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register, and reviewing their medical records. To assess recovery, we used the Clinical Global Impressions; the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale; and information about psychiatric hospitalizations, use of antipsychotic medication, and occupational status.


RESULTS
Only 1 subject (1.7%) with DSM-III-R schizophrenia and 3 subjects (25%) with schizophrenia spectrum disorders fully recovered; 1 schizophrenia subject (1.7%) and 2 schizophrenia spectrum subjects (16.7%) experienced partial recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
The data indicate that, at least until age 35, complete recovery from schizophrenia is rare, and the prognosis for the disorder is far more serious than suggested by some follow-up studies.
Lauronen
Erika
E
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland. llaurone@paju.oulu.fi
Koskinen
Johanna
J
Veijola
Juha
J
Miettunen
Jouko
J
Jones
Peter B
PB
Fenton
Wayne S
WS
Isohanni
Matti
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012917:Social Adjustment
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents