Influence of duration of untreated psychosis on the short-term outcome of drug-free schizophrenia patients

Abstract

Western studies in the recent past have suggested that reducing the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is associated with better control of symptoms of schizophrenia. The present investigation attempts to assess the influence of duration of untreated psychosis and other predictors on the outcome of schizophrenia, six weeks after the treatment. Data of 45 DSM-IV schizophrenia patients (Mean age 31 ± 9.2; 27 males) who were treated for the first time formed the sample. Based on the clinical notes in files two psychiatrists independently rated the outcome at 6-8 weeks of neuroleptic treatment. The inter rater agreement was good. Improved and unimproved groups did not differ on any variables except the duration of untreated psychosis. Duration of untreated psychosis was longer in the unimproved group. In a logistic regression model, only duration of untreated psychosis emerged as a significant predictor (OR= 0.9854. with 95 Cl= 0.9717 - 0.9993; p=0.039). DUP affects acute outcome in schizophrenia.