Intellectual functioning and outcome of patients with severe psychotic illness randomised to intensive case management - Report from the UK700 trial

Background Little research has been carried out on the benefits of intensiv e case management (ICM) for people with borderline IQ and severe mental ill ness. Aims To compare outcome and costs of care of patients with severe psychotic illness with borderline IQ to patients of normal IQ and to assess whether ICM is more beneficial for the former than for the latter. Method The study utilises data from the UK700 multi-centre randomised contr olled trial of case management. The main outcome measure was the number of days spent in hospital for psychiatric reasons. Secondary outcomes were cos ts of care and clinical outcome. Results ICM was significantly more beneficial for borderline-IQ patients th an those of normal IQ in terms of reductions in days spent in hospital, hos pital admissions, total costs and needs and increased satisfaction. Conclusions ICM appears to be a cost-effective strategy for a subgroup of p atients with severe psychosis with cognitive deficits.