Individuals with first-episode schizophrenia (N=101) were grouped according to the DUI[Owens et al., 2010]:
- Onset of illness <44 days prior to admission (n=29).
- Onset of illness between 44 days and 1 year prior to admission (n=44).
- Onset of illness >1 year prior to admission (n=28).
Patients with the shortest DUI (<44 days) demonstrated the lowest relapse rate (41.4%) during 1 year of follow-up, while patients with the longest DUI (>1 year) had the highest relapse rate (82.1%).[Owens et al., 2010]
Data from 80 patients with schizophrenia were collected retrospectively from standardized clinical records routinely used in the community mental health center.[Primavera et al., 2012]
The DUP was defined as the time interval between the onset of the first clearly psychotic symptoms and the first antipsychotic treatment.[Primavera et al., 2012]
The course of illness was divided into 2 categories; namely, an “unfavorable” course (ie, “continuous” plus “episodic with intercritical residual symptoms” according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision [DSM-IV-TR]), and a “favorable” course (ie, “episodic without intercritical residual symptoms,” plus “single episodes in partial remission,” and “single episode in full remission”)[Primavera et al., 2012]
- 16 Patients were considered to have a favorable course of illness, and 64 were considered to have an unfavorable course.
A favorable course of illness occurred significantly more frequently among patients with a short DUP.[Primavera et al., 2012]
- Moreover, a short DUP was significantly associated with a “low” number of hospital admissions (85.7% of cases) compared to cases with a long DUP (62.1%) (P=0.047).
Additionally, the mean number of hospital admissions was significantly lower among patients with a short DUP (1.5±2.3) than among patients with a long DUP (3.2±2.5) (P<0.001).
References:
Owens DC, Johnstone EC, Miller P, Macmillan JF, Crow TJ. Duration of untreated illness and outcome in schizophrenia: test of predictions in relation to relapse risk. Br J Psychiatry. 2010; 196(4): 296-301.
Primavera D, Bandecchi C, Lepori T, Sanna L, Nicotra E, Carpiniello B. Does duration of untreated psychosis predict very long term outcome of schizophrenic disorders? Results of a retrospective study. Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2012; 11(1): 21.