Depressive symptoms at baseline predict fewer negative symptoms at follow-up in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.

There is uncertainty regarding the prognostic value of depressive symptoms in schizophrenia, having previously been associated with both favourable and poor outcome. This study investigated the relationship between baseline depressive symptoms and treatment outcome at 6, 12 and 24 weeks in 80 subjects with first-episode schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder in terms of PANSS total and subscale score changes. No significant association was found between baseline PANSS depression factor scores and PANSS total and subscore changes. However, a significant inverse correlation between baseline depression scores and negative scores at 6, 12 and 24 weeks was found (p=0.044, 0.023 and 0.012, respectively). Multiple regression analysis indicated that this finding could not be explained on the basis of age, gender or duration of untreated psychosis. These findings support previous work suggesting that high baseline depressive scores predict favourable outcome.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes