Depressive symptoms in first episode psychosis: a one-year follow-up study

Abstract

BackgroundDepressive symptoms are common in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP) and have serious consequences for them. The main aims of this study were to examine the course of depression in FEP patients and explore whether any patient characteristics at baseline predicts depressive symptoms after one year.MethodA total of 198 FEP patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were assessed for depressive symptoms with Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) at baseline and 127 were followed for one year. A CDSS score [greater than or equal to] 6 was used as a cut-off score for depression.ResultsApproximately 50% of the patients were depressed (CDSS[greater than or equal to]6) at baseline. At follow-up approximately 35% had depression. The course of depressive symptoms varied, 26% was depressed at both baseline and follow-up, 9% became depressed during the follow-up, 22% remitted from depression during the 12 months and 43% was neither depressed at baseline nor at follow-up. Poor childhood social functioning, long duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and depressive symptoms at baseline predicted depression at 12 months follow-up.ConclusionDepressive symptoms are frequent in the first year after onset of psychosis. Patients with poor social functioning in childhood, long DUP and depressive symptoms at baseline are more prone to have depressive symptoms after one year. These patients should be identified and proper treatment provided.

Depressive symptoms in first‐episode psychosis: a 10‐year follow‐up study

“…Poor premorbid social functioning may be such a vulnerability factor in patients with psychosis. This is also in line with a recently published study which found that poor premorbid social functioning in childhood, DUP and PANSS depressive component predicted depressive symptoms at 12 months of follow up …”

Predictors of change in social networks, support and satisfaction following a first episode psychosis: A cohort study

“…There were few clinical variables linked with this outcome at one year but at baseline perceived support is linked to depression which is similar to other research (Sundermann et al, 2014) but opposes the finding from a similar study that depression is not linked with social support satisfaction (Malla et al, 2004). We found similar levels of depression in our cohort when compared to similar first-episode psychosis cohorts indicating that greater levels of depression do not explain this finding (Malla et al, 2004, Sönmez et al, 2013. At one year, depression was not linked with perceived social support although an overall reduction in clinically significant depression from 20% to 3% in the entire sample may partially explain this finding despite a greater need to consider depressive symptoms as a treatment target during the acute phase of treatment (Renwick et al, 2012).…”

Self-rated disability in first treated episode of psychosis: A 1-year follow-up study

“…Alternatively, the finding may reflect that a high social disability leads to an increase in depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, the significance of depression reflects the high level of depression in first episode psychosis, being present in 50% at treatment initiation [35] and 35% at one year follow-up [36]. The only disability domain that was associated with negative symptoms was "Understanding and communicating" which largely represents cognition, which is in line with studies finding a close relationship between negative symptoms and cognitive impairment [37].…”