BACKGROUND: There has been controversy as to whether early intervention in psychosis can improve the outcome of the disorder. AIMS: To establish if there is an association between duration of untreated psychosis and the 4-year outcome of persons with a first episode of psychosis. METHOD: Prospective naturalistic follow-up study of the outcome of consecutive first presentations with DSM-IV psychosis attending a community-based psychiatric service. RESULTS: A longer duration of untreated psychosis was associated with a significantly poorer functional and symptomatic outcome 4 years later. For schizophrenia and schizophreniform disorder, each increment in duration of untreated psychosis was associated with a 7.8 point decrease in global functioning and an increase in positive symptoms scores by 1.9 points. CONCLUSIONS: This study extends the findings of short-term follow-up studies by confirming an association between duration of untreated psychosis and 'mid-term' outcome.
BACKGROUND: There has been controversy as to whether early intervention in psychosis can improve the outcome of the disorder. AIMS: To establish if there is an association between duration of untreated psychosis and the 4-year outcome of persons with a first episode of psychosis. METHOD: Prospective naturalistic follow-up study of the outcome of consecutive first presentations with DSM-IV psychosis attending a community-based psychiatric service. RESULTS: A longer duration of untreated psychosis was associated with a significantly poorer functional and symptomatic outcome 4 years later. For schizophrenia and schizophreniform disorder, each increment in duration of untreated psychosis was associated with a 7.8 point decrease in global functioning and an increase in positive symptoms scores by 1.9 points. CONCLUSIONS: This study extends the findings of short-term follow-up studies by confirming an association between duration of untreated psychosis and 'mid-term' outcome.
Authors: David M Ndetei; Lincoln I Khasakhala; Francisca A Ongecha; Victoria Mutiso; Donald A Kokonya Journal: Afr Health Sci Date: 2007-12 Impact factor: 0.927
Authors: Matthew M Large; Olav Nielssen; Christopher James Ryan; Robert Hayes Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2007-11-30 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Donal O'Keeffe; Ann Sheridan; Aine Kelly; Roisin Doyle; Kevin Madigan; Elizabeth Lawlor; Mary Clarke Journal: Adm Policy Ment Health Date: 2018-07