
▪ It is not clearly known what predicts good long-term outcome in first episode schizophrenia and what the characteristics are that differentiate patients who do and do not show good response
▪ We attempted to find the characteristics and predictors of good out-come for patients who presented with severe psychopathology and were hospitalized in their first episode psychosis in a tertiary psychiatric hospital in the city of Mumbai
▪ 101 patients of first episode schizophrenia were assessed at hospitalization, and reassessed at ten years
▪ The data was analyzed on 13 outcome parameters for predictors and characteristics of good outcome, using the SAS system of statistical analysis
▪ 61 of 101 patients showed good outcome on the CGIS after ten years
▪ Predictors of good recovery were high baseline positive symptoms and low negative symptoms, higher anxiety-depressive symptoms, lower level of depressive symptoms, lower level of aggression, higher work performance and ability to live independently.
▪ Characteristics of non-recovered patients showed higher extra pyramidal symptoms, severe aggressive symptoms, higher frequency of disorganization symptoms at baseline and higher level of family burden at the end of the term
▪ Our study shows reasonably good outcome [61.7%] in first episode-hospitalized patients
▪ Good outcome correlated with severity of positive symptoms, level of work function and ability to live independently at baseline
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/amreshsrivastava/75/