First-episode schizophreniform disorder: comparisons with first-episode schizophrenia

Background: Schizophreniform disorder remains poorly understood and has bee n reported probably to be a heterogeneous group of psychotic disorders. Met hod: This study compared first-episode schizophreniform disorder (N=12) and schizophrenia (N=18) patients. The authors propose that schizophreniform d isorder has a different type of onset and outcome than schizophrenia. Patie nts were given extensive assessments at initial evaluation, 6 month follow- up, and 24 month follow-up. Comparisons between the two groups were made on type of onset, demographic. clinical ratings and outcome variables. Result s: Patients with schizophreniform disorder compared to patients with schizo phrenia were more likely to have an acute onset (P=0.003), and have recover ed by 6 months (P=0.03). However, there were no differences in outcome at 2 4 months. Furthermore, all schizophreniform cases except for two were re-di agnosed at 24 months: as having schizophrenia. Conclusions: The findings su ggest that the initial differences of schizophreniform disorder compared to schizophrenia were not apparent at 24 months follow-up. Schizophreniform d isorder did not emerge as a highly distinctive and stable form of psychosis that merits a diagnostic classification separate From schizophrenia. (C) 2 000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.