Ten-year outcome: patients with schizoaffective disorders, schizophrenia, affective disorders and mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms

Abstract

BackgroundIt is unclear whether outcome in schizoaffective disorders is more similar to schizophrenia or affective disorders.AimsTo provide longitudinal data on clinical course and outcome in schizoaffective disorders versus schizophrenia and affective disorders, and determine whether mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms have negative prognostic implications.MethodA total of 210 patients with schizoaffective disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar manic disorders and depression were assessed at hospitalisation and then followed up four times over 10 years.ResultsAt all four follow-ups, fewer patients with schizoaffective disorders than with schizophrenia showed uniformly poor outcome. Patients with mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms during index hospitalisation showed significantly poorer subsequent outcome (P< 0.05).ConclusionsSchizoaffective outcome was better than schizophrenic outcome and poorer than outcome for psychotic affective disorders. Mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms have negative prognostic implications. The results could fit a symptom dimension view of schizoaffective course.