Predictors and Characteristics of Response and Nonresponse: A Ten Year Follow-Up of First Episode Schizophrenia in Mumbai

▪ 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 baselin