Understanding the impact of persistent symptoms in schizophrenia: Cross-sectional findings from the Pattern study.

Haro, Josep Maria; Altamura, Carlo; Corral, Ricardo; Elkis, Helio; Evans, Jonathan; Malla, Ashok; Krebs, Marie-Odile; Zink, Mathias; Bernasconi, Corrado Angelo; Lalonde, Justine; Nordstroem, Anna-Lena (2015). Understanding the impact of persistent symptoms in schizophrenia: Cross-sectional findings from the Pattern study. Schizophrenia Research, 169(1-3), pp. 234-240. Elsevier 10.1016/j.schres.2015.09.001

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BACKGROUND

The high societal burden of schizophrenia is largely caused by the persistence of symptoms and accompanying functional impairment. To date, no studies have specifically assessed the course of persistent symptoms or the individual contributions of positive and negative symptoms to patient functioning. The cross-sectional analysis of the Pattern study provides an international perspective of the burden of schizophrenia.

METHODS

Clinically stable outpatients from 140 study centers across eight countries (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) were assessed using clinical rating scales: Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia (CGI-SCH) Scale and the Personal and Social Performance (PSP) Scale. Additional measures included patient-reported outcomes, patient socio-demographic variables, living situation, employment and resource use.

RESULTS

Overall, 1379 patients were assessed and analyzed and had similar sociodemographic characteristics across countries, with 61.6% having persistent positive and/or negative symptoms. Positive and negative symptoms had been persistent for a mean of 9.6 and 8.9 years (SD: 8.8 and 9.6), respectively. Approximately 86% of patients had a functional disability classified as greater than mild. Patients with a higher PANSS Negative Symptom Factor Score were more likely to have a poorer level of functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis examines individual contributions of persistent positive and negative symptoms on patient functioning in different countries. A high prevalence of patients with persistent symptoms and functional impairment was a consistent finding across countries. Longitudinal observations are necessary to assess how to improve persistent symptoms of schizophrenia and overall patient functioning.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Head Organs and Neurology (DKNS) > Clinic of Neurology
UniBE Contributor:	Bernasconi, Corrado Angelo
Subjects:	600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
ISSN:	0920-9964
Publisher:	Elsevier
Language:	English
Submitter:	Stefanie Hetzenecker
Date Deposited:	11 Jul 2017 14:24
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 15:02
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.schres.2015.09.001
PubMed ID:	26431792
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Epidemiology; Functional impairment; Persistent negative symptoms; Persistent positive symptoms; Quality of life; Schizophrenia
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/94704