Persistent auditory hallucinations.
BACKGROUND
There is still a significant proportion of psychotic patients who suffer from persistent auditory hallucinations (PAH) in spite of treatment. The objective of our study was to analyze those clinical dimensions that characterize persistent hallucinators in comparison with episodic hallucinators.


METHODS
Ninety-one outpatients with AH were assessed through semistructured interviews. The interviews included the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales for AH and the Krawiecka scale. They elicited descriptions about the persistence of AH, existence of pleasurable hallucinations and other types of hallucinations.


RESULTS
Forty-five patients fulfilled criteria for reported PAH. Persistent hallucinators showed greater scores in frequency and duration of hallucinations, Krawiecka total score and incoherence of speech. Moreover, pleasurable experiences were more frequent in this group of patients. Logistic regression analysis rendered a model with the following variables: duration of voices, degree of control and pleasurable hallucinations.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific dimensions of AH can predict the possibility of treatment resistance.
Clinical Hospital, Valencia, Spain. josegopi@mail.ono.es
J C
JC
González
E J
EJ
Aguilar
V
V
Berenguer
C
C
Leal
J
J
Sanjuan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index