TY - JOUR

T1 - Antipsychotic medication and remission of psychotic symptoms 10 years after a first-episode psychosis

AU - Wils, Regitze Sølling

AU - Gotfredsen, Ditte Resendal

AU - Hjorthøj, Carsten

AU - Austin, Stephen F

AU - Albert, Nikolai

AU - Secher, Rikke Gry

AU - Thorup, Anne Amalie Elgaard

AU - Mors, Ole

AU - Nordentoft, Merete

N1 - Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - BACKGROUND: Several national guidelines recommend continuous use of antipsychotic medication after a psychotic episode in order to minimize the risk of relapse. However some studies have identified a subgroup of patients who obtain remission of psychotic symptoms while not being on antipsychotic medication for a period of time. This study investigated the long-term outcome and characteristics of patients in remission of psychotic symptoms with no use of antipsychotic medication at the 10-year follow-up.METHODS: The study was a cohort study including 496 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (ICD 10: F20 and F22-29). Patients were included in the Danish OPUS Trial and followed up 10years after inclusion, where patient data was collected on socio-demographic factors, psychopathology, level of functioning and medication.FINDINGS: 61% of the patients from the original cohort attended the 10-year follow up and 30% of these had remission of psychotic symptoms at the time of the 10-year follow up with no current use of antipsychotic medication. This outcome was associated with female gender, high GAF-F score, participation in the labour market and absence of substance abuse.CONCLUSION: Our results describe a subgroup of patients who obtained remission while not being on antipsychotic medication at the 10-year follow-up. The finding calls for further investigation on a more individualized approach to long-term treatment with antipsychotic medication.

AB - BACKGROUND: Several national guidelines recommend continuous use of antipsychotic medication after a psychotic episode in order to minimize the risk of relapse. However some studies have identified a subgroup of patients who obtain remission of psychotic symptoms while not being on antipsychotic medication for a period of time. This study investigated the long-term outcome and characteristics of patients in remission of psychotic symptoms with no use of antipsychotic medication at the 10-year follow-up.METHODS: The study was a cohort study including 496 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (ICD 10: F20 and F22-29). Patients were included in the Danish OPUS Trial and followed up 10years after inclusion, where patient data was collected on socio-demographic factors, psychopathology, level of functioning and medication.FINDINGS: 61% of the patients from the original cohort attended the 10-year follow up and 30% of these had remission of psychotic symptoms at the time of the 10-year follow up with no current use of antipsychotic medication. This outcome was associated with female gender, high GAF-F score, participation in the labour market and absence of substance abuse.CONCLUSION: Our results describe a subgroup of patients who obtained remission while not being on antipsychotic medication at the 10-year follow-up. The finding calls for further investigation on a more individualized approach to long-term treatment with antipsychotic medication.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Antipsychotic Agents

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Longitudinal Studies

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Psychiatric Status Rating Scales

KW - Psychotic Disorders

KW - Recurrence

KW - Treatment Outcome

KW - Young Adult

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1016/j.schres.2016.10.030

DO - 10.1016/j.schres.2016.10.030

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28277310

VL - 182

SP - 42

EP - 48

JO - Schizophrenia Research

JF - Schizophrenia Research

SN - 0920-9964

ER -