[Affective, schizoaffective and schizophrenic psychoses. A comparative long-term study]

Abstract

A total of 402 patients were followed up for, on average, 25 years after the onset of their illness. The diagnoses, made longitudinally, were as follows: schizophrenic disorder (n = 148); schizoaffective disorder (n = 101); affective disorder (n = 106). The remaining 47 patients did not fulfil the criteria for any of these diagnoses. A distinction was made between "episode" (cross-sectional diagnosis) and "illness" or "disorder" (longitudinal diagnosis). The "episodes" (cross-sectional diagnosis) were classified according to slightly modified DSM-III criteria into schizophrenic, affective (melancholic, manic, manic-depressive mixed), schizoaffective (schizodepressive, schizomanic, schizomanic-depressive mixed) and non-characteristic episodes. The criteria for the episodes are: Schizophrenic episode: criteria of DSM-III, slightly modified. Melancholic episode: according to "Major Depression, Melancholic Type" of DSM-III-R. Manic episode: according to the criteria of DSM-III, slightly modified. Manic-depressive mixed episode: Presence of manic and depressive symptomatology during one episode. Schizodepressive episode: Presence of schizophrenic and depressive symptomatology during one episode. --Schizomanic episode: presence of schizophrenic and manic symptomatology during one episode. Schizomanic-depressive mixed episode: Presence of schizophrenic, manic and depressive symptomatology during one episode. The diagnosis of an "illness" or "disorder" (longitudinal diagnosis) took account of all the kinds of episodes that occurred during the whole course. The final diagnosis (longitudinal diagnoses) were defined as follows: Schizophrenic disorder: only schizophrenic episodes during the whole course Affective disorder: only affective episodes during the whole course (melancholic, manic, manic-depressive mixed episodes). Schizoaffective disorder: at least one schizoaffective episode during the course (schizodepressive, schizomanic, schizomanic-depressive mixed episode), independently of the type and number of other episodes, or sequential manifestation of schizophrenic and affective episodes. The principal instruments of investigation and evaluation were: Global Assessment Scale (GAS); Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO/DAS); Psychological Impairment Rating Schedule (WHO/PIRS); Present State Examination (PSE); Criteria for social class and social mobility according to Kleining and Moore (also transferred to the criteria of Hollingshead and Redlich) - A pool of items based on WHO instruments for social parameters; Items for pharmacological treatment and prophylaxis.