Błażej Misiak1, Andrzej Kiejna2, Dorota Frydecka2. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, 10 Pasteur Street, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; Department of Genetics, Wroclaw Medical University, 1 Marcinkowski Street, 50-368 Wroclaw, Poland. Electronic address: mblazej@interia.eu. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, 10 Pasteur Street, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: It has been repeatedly found that cigarette smoking may influence schizophrenia psychopathology. However, little is known about the relationship between nicotine consumption and symptomatic manifestation of first-episode schizophrenia (FES). METHOD: We recruited 109 minimally medicated FES patients. Cigarette smoking was assessed using the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) and pack-year index. Psychopathology on the day of recruitment was examined using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). RESULTS: Smokers had significantly lower severity of negative and depressive symptoms in comparison with non-smokers. Patients with severe nicotine dependence had significantly later age of psychosis onset in comparison with those with mild nicotine dependence and non-smokers. Significantly lower severity of negative and depressive symptoms was also observed in patients with severe nicotine dependence in comparison with non-smokers. The associations between the severity of nicotine dependence and scores of negative and depressive symptoms as well as age of psychosis onset remained significant after co-varying for gender, education, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and measures of antipsychotic treatment. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that cigarette smoking might be associated with less severe negative and depressive symptoms as well as delayed age of psychosis onset. However, longitudinal studies are required to indicate the direction of causality.
OBJECTIVE: It has been repeatedly found that cigarette smoking may influence schizophrenia psychopathology. However, little is known about the relationship between nicotine consumption and symptomatic manifestation of first-episode schizophrenia (FES). METHOD: We recruited 109 minimally medicated FES patients. Cigarette smoking was assessed using the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) and pack-year index. Psychopathology on the day of recruitment was examined using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). RESULTS: Smokers had significantly lower severity of negative and depressive symptoms in comparison with non-smokers. Patients with severe nicotine dependence had significantly later age of psychosis onset in comparison with those with mild nicotine dependence and non-smokers. Significantly lower severity of negative and depressive symptoms was also observed in patients with severe nicotine dependence in comparison with non-smokers. The associations between the severity of nicotine dependence and scores of negative and depressive symptoms as well as age of psychosis onset remained significant after co-varying for gender, education, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and measures of antipsychotic treatment. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that cigarette smoking might be associated with less severe negative and depressive symptoms as well as delayed age of psychosis onset. However, longitudinal studies are required to indicate the direction of causality.