title: Prevalence of item level negative symptoms in first episode psychosis diagnoses.
abstract: The relevance of negative symptoms across the diagnostic spectrum of the psychoses remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to report on prevalence of item and subscale level negative symptoms across the first episode psychosis (FEP) diagnostic spectrum in an epidemiological sample, and to ascertain whether items and subscales were more prevalent in a schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses group compared to an 'all other psychotic diagnoses' group. We measured negative symptoms in 330 patients presenting with FEP using the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), and ascertained diagnosis using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV. Prevalence of SANS items and subscales were tabulated across all psychotic diagnoses, and logistic regression analysis determined which items and subscales were predictive of schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses. SANS items were most prevalent in schizophrenia spectrum conditions but frequently presented in other FEP diagnoses, particularly substance induced psychotic disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. Brief psychotic disorder and bipolar disorders had low levels of negative symptoms. SANS items and subscales which significantly predicted schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses, were also frequently present in some of the other psychotic diagnoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SANS items have high prevalence in FEP, and while commonest in schizophrenia spectrum conditions are not restricted to this diagnostic subgroup.
authors.affiliation: DETECT Services, Avila House, Block 5 Blackrock Business Park, Blackrock, Co Dublin, Ireland. johnlyne@mail.com
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lyne
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Donoghue
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: Laoise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Renwick
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Madigan
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kinsella
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Niall
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Eadbhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Callaghan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult