title: Clinical Global Impression-severity score as a reliable measure for routine evaluation of remission in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare the performance of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) symptom severity criteria established by the Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group (RSWG) with criteria based on Clinical Global Impression (CGI) severity score. The 6-month duration criterion was not taken into consideration.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 112 chronic psychotic outpatients was examined. Symptomatic remission was evaluated according to RSWG severity criterion and to a severity criterion indicated by the overall score obtained at CGI-Schizophrenia (CGI-SCH) rating scale (≤3) (CGI-S).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical remission rates of 50% and 49.1%, respectively, were given by RSWG and CGI-S, with a significant level of agreement between the two criteria in identifying remitted and non-remitted cases. Mean scores at CGI-SCH and PANSS scales were significantly higher among remitters, independent of the remission criteria adopted. Measures of cognitive functioning were largely independent of clinical remission evaluated according to both RSWG and CGI-S. When applying RSWG and CGI-S criteria, the rates of overall good functioning yielded by Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP) were 32.1% and 32.7%, respectively, while the mean scores at PSP scale differed significantly between remitted and non-remitted patients, independent of criteria adopted. The proportion of patients judged to be in a state of well-being on Social Well-Being Under Neuroleptics-Short Version scale (SWN-K) were, respectively, 66.1% and 74.5% among remitters according to RSWG and CGI-S; the mean scores at the SWN scale were significantly higher only among remitters according to CGI-S criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CGI severity criteria may represent a valid and user-friendly alternative for use in identifying patients in remission, particularly in routine clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine-Unit of Psychiatry, University of Cagliari, Via Liguria 13, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pinna
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine-Unit of Psychiatry, University of Cagliari, Via Liguria 13, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deriu
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine-Unit of Psychiatry, University of Cagliari, Via Liguria 13, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine-Unit of Psychiatry, University of Cagliari, Via Liguria 13, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perra
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine-Unit of Psychiatry, University of Cagliari, Via Liguria 13, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Rachele Pisu
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Randaccio
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine-Unit of Psychiatry, University of Cagliari, Via Liguria 13, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine-Unit of Psychiatry, University of Cagliari, Via Liguria 13, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tusconi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine-Unit of Psychiatry, University of Cagliari, Via Liguria 13, 09127 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carpiniello