engleski

Psychopharmacotherapy can change the clinical picture in patients with catatonic schizophrenia

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of clinical picture in patients with catatonic schizophrenia during long-term folIow-up. Methods From the base population of 10 569 schizophrenic patients recorded in Croatian Psychotics Case Register (CPCR). the representative sample of 402 patients (207 males and 195 females) was formed for further long-term field-clinical- epidemiological follow-up. In this sample, there were 59 (14.7%) patients, who were diagnosed at least once in their life as catatonic schizophrenics (ICD and DSM). Every catatonic schizophrenic was matched with paranoid schizophrenic from the sample. according to residential area. sex and age. The patients were followed-up for more than 25 years. Results Various differences in socio-demographic, clinical and hospital characteristics were observed between those two groups. Catatonic episodes usually occurred early in the course. but frequently changed over the course of illness. Namely. during the course of illness, the majority of schizophrenic patients changed their types of clinical picture and, at the end of this follow-up period, only 11 (18.6%) cases the diagnosis of catatonic schizophrenia was made. Conclusion This study presents data about catatonic subtype instability during the long- term follow-up. In this study, the great majority of catatonic schizophrenic patients changed their types of clinical picture. and were afterwards diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic patients. The applied psychopharmacotherapy can be responsible for this change. Refcrences 1. Mimica N, Folnegović-Šmalc V, Folnegović Z, Catatonic schizophrenia in Croatia. (2001) Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 251(Suppl 1) I/l 7-1/20. 2. Mimica N, Folnegović-Šmalc V, Folnegović Z, Uzun S, Radonić E, Žakić-Milas D, Kozumplik 0. Catatonic schizophrenia: an update based on long-term follow-up. (2003) Neurol Croat. 52(Suppl. 4) 44.

catatonic schizophrenia; psychopharmacotherapy

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