Abstract
ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine recovery rates and related factors in schizophrenia outpatients treated by the same physician in a private practice.METHODS: Seventy patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder who followed up for 5 years were examined retrospectively. Psychopathological status was evaluated by means of standardized symptomatic remission criteria, and the Clinical Global Impression-Severity. Functionality of the patients was evaluated using the Global Assessment of Functioning. Recovery required remission of positive and negative symptoms and adequate social/vocational functioning for at least 24 months.RESULTS: In a 5-year period, 35.7% of the patients achieved recovery criteria. There were no demographic and clinical differences between patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Recovery was predicted by the onset of illness (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01–1.30, p = .044) and type of illness – schizoaffective disorder (OR 6.84, 95% CI 1.54–30.34...
Highlights
Schizophrenia seems to progress, by its nature, as a chronic disease involving disabilities, long-term follow-up studies have shown remissions in its symptoms in a considerable percentage of patients and functional recovery in a small percentage of them [1,2,3]
The aim of this study was to determine recovery rates and related factors in schizophrenia outpatients treated by the same physician in a private practice
The common point in the criteria proposed for disappearance or alleviation of symptoms that are considered as the prerequisite of recovery is that the symptoms that are agreed to be in the core of schizophrenia may completely disappear or may prevail to the extent not to impair functioning or to be disregarded clinically
Summary
Schizophrenia seems to progress, by its nature, as a chronic disease involving disabilities, long-term follow-up studies have shown remissions in its symptoms in a considerable percentage of patients and functional recovery in a small percentage of them [1,2,3]. While some publications consider disappearance or alleviation of symptoms and improvement in general functioning as signs of recovery, others use ability to work and socialization as the criteria without so much focusing on symptoms [4,5,6,7]. The common point in the criteria proposed for disappearance or alleviation of symptoms that are considered as the prerequisite of recovery is that the symptoms that are agreed to be in the core of schizophrenia may completely disappear or may prevail to the extent not to impair functioning or to be disregarded clinically. The meaning of recovery has gone beyond the mere remission of symptoms and the sustaining of such remission for at least 6 months has been agreed as an objective time condition in the criteria that emerged from the expert consensus [11]. The remission in schizophrenia working group has agreed that the severity of core symptoms of schizophrenia, i.e. delusions, hallucinatory behaviour, unusual thought content, conceptual disorganization, manierism/posturing, social withdrawal, blunted affect, and lack of spontaneity should remain mild or less for at least 6 months to qualify as a remission criterion
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