Quality of life in schizophrenia: relationship to sociodemographic factors, symptomatology and tardive dyskinesia

The quality of life of patients suffering from schizophrenia--a comparison with healthy controls

BACKGROUND

In the past, the first goal of schizophrenia treatment was to reduce psychotic symptoms, mainly positive symptoms. Recently, as a result of an emphasis on patient needs, the concept of quality of life (QoL) has been brought into the treatment. The goal has therefore changed from the alleviation of symptoms to improvement of the patient's satisfaction with social activities. Self-evaluations by people with schizophrenia were previously thought to lack reliability because of the presence of psychopathological symptoms and poor awareness of the disease. Recently the importance of evaluating the satisfaction of patients themselves, however, has been recognized in schizophrenia. Studies on this field showed us, that QoL data from patients with chronic mental illness were reliable and concluded that subjective QoL evaluation was applicable to such patients.

AIMS

The purpose of the present study was to compare the QoL in patients suffering from schizophrenia in clinical remission with healthy controls and examine the extent of the effects of subjective cognitive functioning on QoL in these patients.

METHODS

Data were obtained using the quality of life questionnaire (Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction--Q-LES-Q), and subjective questionnaire for cognitive dysfunction (Cognitive Failures Questionnaire--CFQ) for 40 schizophrenia patients in clinical remission and 40 healthy controls.

RESULTS

Cognitive function correlates negatively with subjective QoL in patients with schizophrenia.

Domains and determinants of quality of life in schizophrenia and systemic lupus erythematosus

BACKGROUND

The World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQOL-Bref) scale was designed to measure quality of life (QOL) in both medical and psychiatric illnesses. There have been a few studies to date that compare aspects of QOL in medical and psychiatric illnesses.

AIM

The aim of the study was to compare QOL in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic medical illness and schizophrenia, a chronic psychiatric disorder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a prospective design, 50 patients with SLE and 50 patients with schizophrenia were assessed on measures of QOL by using the WHOQOL-Bref scale, demographic factors, disease severity, and psychiatric comorbidity.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference between the SLE group and the schizophrenia group on the social domain of the WHOQOL-Bref scale but not on other domains. Patients with SLE had lower scores, except on social domain. Disease severity correlated with scores on the physical domain and environmental domain in both illnesses. The presence of psychiatric comorbidity was associated with significantly lower QOL scores in SLE. The presence of insight was associated with nonsignificantly lower QOL scores in schizophrenia. There was a significant association between QOL scores and both income and religious belief system in SLE, while age and duration of illness correlated with QOL scores in schizophrenia.

CONCLUSION

Although the QOLs in schizophrenia and SLE were comparable on all domains except the social domain, the factors that mediate QOL in both these illnesses are different.

Are extrapyramidal symptoms less recognized? Case report of modern practitioners' unfamiliarity with first generation antipsychotics

A case is presented where initial suspicion of lithium toxicity was mistaken. Drug-induced Parkinsonism and tardive dyskinesia were present, underscoring the need to improve training of movement disorder assessment.

Relationship of symptomatic remission with quality of life and functionality in patients with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between remission and quality of life (QoL) of patients with schizophrenia.

METHOD

Quality of life was investigated with the Quality-of-Life Scale, the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP), and the Evaluation of Functional Remission Scale in 102 outpatients with schizophrenia. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) were used to assess symptom severity. Remission was defined based on the Andreasen et al criteria (2005).

RESULTS

The remission group had higher levels of QoL and functionality as measured by the Quality-of-Life Scale (P = .001), PSP (P = .001), and Evaluation of Functional Remission Scale (P = .001). The remission group also had higher employment rates, lower smoking rates, and less depressive symptoms. We found that negative (P = .001) and positive symptoms of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (P = .05) and CDSS score (P = .005) independently contributed to PSP score in a linear regression analysis. Years of education and positive symptoms were related to CDSS score. All of the 3 scales that we used to assess QoL and functionality were highly correlated with each other. In addition, the opinions of patients or relatives/partners about functionality of the patient was highly correlated with all of the scales.

CONCLUSION

We found significant differences between patients with schizophrenia with and without remission for QoL and functionality. Relative/partner's evaluation of functional status provides a reliable measure of QoL as well.

Quality of life and its predictors in people with schizophrenia

The author reviewed measurement of quality of life (QOL) of schizophrenia patients and the clinical factors related to their QOL. As schizophrenia patients were thought to be unable to assess their own QOL because of their cognitive impairment, objective QOL measures had been frequently used. However, nowadays, there is general agreement that symptomatically stabilized patients could assess their QOL by themselves. Therefore, researchers gradually have become interested in subjective QOL measure. Although most researchers often evaluate schizophrenia patients' QOL using only subjective or objective QOL measure, considering the fact that there is a discrepancy between the two types of measures, it is recommended to use both of them as complementary measures. As for clinical factors related to lowered QOL, several studies reported that depressive symptom was most associated with lowered subjective QOL, negative symptom was strongly related to lowered objective one and poor life skill was associated with both. Moreover, several studies found that cognitive dysfunctions in some cognitive domains were related to lowered objective QOL but the effects of them were much smaller than those of negative symptoms. It is suggested that improving depressive and negative symptoms and life skills may contribute to enhancement of QOL of schizophrenia patients.

Smoking and tardive dyskinesia in male patients with chronic schizophrenia

Interactions between smoking and movement disorders include the contrasting associations of more cigarette smoking with reductions in Parkinson's disease and increases in tardive dyskinesia (TD) symptoms. Here we examine the relationship between smoking and TD in a large sample of inpatients with schizophrenia. We used cross-sectional naturalistic methods to analyze the prevalence and severity of neuroleptic-induced TD in relation to cigarette smoking among 764 male chronic and medicated inpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia. We administered a detailed questionnaire including general information, medical and psychological conditions, and smoking behaviors. We evaluated TD severity using the abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS) and psychopathology using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The main statistical analyses used cross-tabulations for the prevalence of TD by smoking and multivariate regression analyses for continuous measures (AIMS and PANSS). We found that the prevalence of TD did not significantly differ between smokers (41%=237/578) and non-smokers (37%=69/186). Secondary outcomes showed a significant association between the AIMS total score and age, duration of illness and hospitalization times. Thus, smoking was not associated with TD in male Chinese schizophrenics, but consistent with previous reports, older patients with a longer duration of illness and more hospitalizations showed greater severity of TD.

DPP6 as a candidate gene for neuroleptic-induced tardive dyskinesia

We implemented a two-step approach to detect potential predictor gene variants for neuroleptic-induced tardive dyskinesia (TD) in schizophrenic subjects. First, we screened associations by using a genome-wide (Illumina HumanHapCNV370) SNP array in 61 Japanese schizophrenia patients with treatment-resistant TD and 61 Japanese schizophrenia patients without TD. Next, we performed a replication analysis in 36 treatment-resistant TD and 138 non-TD subjects. An association of an SNP in the DPP6 (dipeptidyl peptidase-like protein-6) gene, rs6977820, the most promising association identified by the screen, was significant in the replication sample (allelic P=0.008 in the replication sample, allelic P=4.6 × 10(-6), odds ratio 2.32 in the combined sample). The SNP is located in intron-1 of the DPP6 gene and the risk allele was associated with decreased DPP6 gene expression in the human postmortem prefrontal cortex. Chronic administration of haloperidol increased Dpp6 expression in mouse brains. DPP6 is an auxiliary subunit of Kv4 and regulates the properties of Kv4, which regulates the activity of dopaminergic neurons. The findings of this study indicate that an altered response of Kv4/DPP6 to long-term neuroleptic administration is involved in neuroleptic-induced TD.

Quality of Life in Schizophrenic Patients

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo conocer la calidad de vida y los factores relacionados de los pacientes esquizofrénicos que se controlan en los servicios de salud Concepción y Arauco de Chile durante los meses de abril-junio de 2009. Estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo, correlacional de corte transversal. La población incluida en este trabajo comprendió al total de los pacientes esquizofrénicos (40) bajo régimen de corta estadía. El instrumento utilizado fue la variable principal —calidad de vida (CV)—, que se midió a través del cuestionario SF-36, además se incorporaron variables sociodemográficas y de apoyo social, esta última medida a través del cuestionario Duke- UNC-11. Los resuiltados del estudio reflejan aceptable calidad de vida, lo cual puede asociarse con las condiciones socioculturales de la región.

Quality of life and cognitive dysfunction in people with schizophrenia

The main purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. Subjects were 61 stabilized outpatients. Quality of life and cognitive function were assessed using the Quality of Life Scale (QLS) and the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS), respectively. Clinical symptoms were evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). The BACS composite score and the BACS Verbal memory score were positively correlated with the QLS total score and two subscales. The BACS Attention and speed of information processing score had positive correlation with the QLS total and all the subscales scores. The PANSS Positive and Negative syndrome scores also had significant correlations with the QLS total score and all of the subscales. In addition, the CDSS score was negatively correlated with the QLS total score and some of the subscales. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the BACS Attention and speed of information processing score was an independent predictor of the QLS total score but it was less associated with the QLS than the PANSS Negative syndrome score and the CDSS score. The results suggest that negative and depressive symptoms are important factors on patients' QOL and also support the view that cognitive performance provides a determinant of QOL in patients with schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia and quality of life: how important are symptoms and functioning?

OBJECTIVE

the relationship between Quality of life (QoL) and global functioning and symptoms in outpatients with Schizophrenia

METHOD

The study was carried out on the outpatients with schizophrenia attending a Community Mental Health Centre in 2008. Each patient completed the WHO QoL Instrument - Brief and was administered the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-24 to assess psychiatric symptoms and the VADO Personal and social Functioning Scale to assess the level of functioning.

RESULTS

subjects showed an intermediate satisfaction on the overall QoL and health; these data can be juxtaposed to the national standard sample rates. QoL resulted positively associated to personal and social functioning, while it was negatively related to psychiatric symptoms.

CONCLUSION

patients showed a fairly good satisfaction in regard to their QoL. The severity of psychiatric symptoms is one of the elements influencing QoL, together with personal and social functioning that plays a relevant role.

Impact of panic attacks on quality of life among patients with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

Schizophrenia patients had decreased levels of quality of life compared to normal population. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of panic attacks on quality of life in patients with schizophrenia.

METHODS

Eighty-eight patients with schizophrenia and 85 healthy subjects were included in the study. World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Short Form (WHOQOL-Bref) was given to patients and healthy subjects to assess quality of life. Panic module of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) was administered to patients for diagnosis of panic attacks and panic disorder. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for symptom severity and Calgary Depression Scale (CDS) for depressive symptoms were administered to the patients.

RESULTS

Patients with schizophrenia demonstrated significantly lower scores compared to healthy controls in all domains of WHOQOL-Bref. Twenty-five patients (28.4%) with schizophrenia had panic attacks (PA) and 10 patients (11.4%) met criteria for panic disorder (PD). Schizophrenia patients with PA had significantly lower scores on psychological domain of WHOQOL-Bref compared to the patients without PA. Schizophrenic patients with panic attacks had higher CDS scores than patients without PA. In the multivariate regression analyses the variance in psychological domain of WHOQOL-Bref was explained by depression rather than panic attack.

CONCLUSION

In patients with schizophrenia comorbid panic attacks may have a negative impact on quality of life, which is associated with depression significantly. Panic attacks and depressive symptomatology must be examined comprehensively in order to improve quality of life in patients with schizophrenia.

Quality of life and subjective well-being in schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders: valid predictors of symptomatic response and remission?

OBJECTIVES

To examine quality of life and subjective well-being as predictors of symptomatic treatment outcome.

METHODS

Biweekly PANSS ratings were performed in 285 inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders within a multicenter trial by the German Research Network on Schizophrenia. Quality of life and subjective well-being were assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study-Short Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36), the Subjective Well-being Under Neuroleptic Treatment Scale (SWN-K) and the Adjective Mood Scale (AMS). Response was defined as an initial 20% PANSS total score reduction and remission according to the consensus criteria. Correlation analysis, logistic regression and CART-analysis were performed.

RESULTS

In total, 81% of the sample achieved symptom response and 48% symptom remission. The statistical analyses revealed early improvement within the first two treatment weeks in the SWN-K scale to be a significant predictor for symptomatic response. Concerning symptomatic remission the SF-36 and SWN-K baseline scores as well as SWN-K early improvement showed significant predictive value.

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlight the importance of the patient's self-perception and especially of early improvement of quality of life and subjective well-being for symptomatic treatment outcome.

Relative association of treatment-emergent adverse events with quality of life of patients with schizophrenia: post hoc analysis from a 3-year observational study

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relative association of adverse events with health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients (N = 16 091) with schizophrenia, treated with antipsychotic medication.

METHODS

In this post hoc analysis of data from two 3-year observational studies, a mixed effects model with repeated measures was used to evaluate the association between HRQL (EuroQoL visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS)) and pre-specified covariates including: severity of illness, extrapyramidal symptoms, tardive dyskinesia, sexual dysfunction, and clinically significant weight gain (> 7% increase from baseline after > or = 3 months of treatment).

RESULTS

Mean EQ-VAS increased from 47.8 +/- 21.7 at baseline to 72.4 +/- 18.4 after 36 months. The rank order of the negative association of adverse events with HRQL was: sexual dysfunction (effect estimate -4.04; 95% CI -4.30 to -3.79), extrapyramidal symptoms (effect estimate -2.09; 95% CI -2.43 to -1.75), and tardive dyskinesia (effect estimate -0.89; 95% CI -1.46 to -0.32).

CONCLUSIONS

Differences were observed in the direction and magnitude of the association between each adverse event and HRQL. Recognition of the relative association of adverse events with HRQL may contribute to improved adherence of patients with schizophrenia to antipsychotic therapy.

Do the obsessive-compulsive symptoms have an effect in schizophrenia?

OBJECTIVE

Schizophrenia presents with different symptom domains and functionality during its course. Obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms in schizophrenia have many themes to be clarified. Our aim was to compare schizophrenia patients with and without OC symptoms in terms of symptom domains, cognitive functions, and quality of life.

METHOD

Sixty-two patients who met schizophrenia diagnosis were assessed with Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition consecutively over a period of 12 months in the setting of an outpatient clinic at medical university hospital. Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, and neuropsychologic tests were used. Quality of life was assessed with Quality of Life Scale for Patients with Schizophrenia.

RESULTS

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms along with schizophrenia were present in a considerable number in our sample (35.5%). Level of psychotic symptoms was more severe and quality of life was lower in schizophrenia patients with OC symptoms. A positive correlation was found between obsessions and delusions. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between compulsions and total Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms score and bizarre behaviors subscore. There was no difference between the 2 groups regarding neurocognitive functions. The level of quality of life of schizophrenic patients with OC symptoms was lower. Besides, no correlation was found between OC symptoms and neurocognition and quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study indicate that schizophrenia patients with OC symptoms had severe psychotic symptoms with a distinctive clinical picture including good neurocognition but poor functioning.

Gender differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristic and the quality of life of Chinese schizophrenia patients

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to determine the sociodemographic and clinical correlates of the gender of Chinese schizophrenia outpatients and their impact on patients quality of life (QOL).

METHODS

Two hundred and fifty-five clinically stable schizophrenia outpatients were randomly selected in Hong Kong. Counterparts matched according to gender, age, age at onset, and length of illness were recruited in Beijing, China. All of the subjects at both sites were interviewed by the same investigator using standardized assessment instruments.

RESULTS

The combined Beijing-Hong Kong sample contained 251 male and 254 female patients. On univariate analysis more male patients were employed, they had a significantly higher monthly income, and took higher doses of antipsychotic drugs. No difference was found, however, in any of the QOL domains between the genders. On multivariate analysis being employed, taking a higher dose of antipsychotic drugs, having more severe extrapyramidal side-effects, and a higher score on the physical domain of QOL were independently associated with male gender.

CONCLUSION

Female gender is independently associated with lower scores on the physical aspects of QOL, but there is no difference between the genders in the psychological, social and environmental aspects.

Socio-demographic and clinical determinants of quality of life in Chinese patients with schizophrenia: a prospective study

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to assess the changes in the quality of life (QOL) of Chinese schizophrenia patients and to identify their predictors over a 1-year follow-up.

METHODS

A cohort of 116 schizophrenia patients was recruited, and their socio-demographic and clinical characteristics including psychotic and depressive symptoms, drug-induced side effects, social functioning, and QOL were assessed with standardized rating instruments. The patients received standard psychiatric care and were followed up for 1 year.

RESULTS

The psychotic and depressive symptoms, extrapyramidal side effects, and QOL domains of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, social functioning, and role limitations due to emotional problems all improved significantly. Social functioning was a predictor of baseline QOL and change at 1-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Routine clinical management was effective in improving schizophrenia patients' psychopathology and several domains of QOL. QOL was related to the level of social functioning and had only a weak association with socio-demographic factors.

Association between quality of life and self-stigma, insight, and adverse effects of medication in patients with depressive disorders

BACKGROUND

The aims of this study were to examine whether different domains of quality of life (QOL) are differently affected by depressive disorders by comparing QOL of subjects with and without depressive disorders, and to examine the association of QOL with self-stigma, insight and adverse effects of medication among subjects with depressive disorders.

METHOD

The QOL on the four domains of the WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version were compared between the 229 subjects with depressive disorders and 106 control subjects. Among the depressive subjects, the association between the four QOL domains and subjects' self-stigma, insight, and adverse effects of medication were examined using multiple regression analyses by controlling for the influence of depression, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and family function.

RESULTS

Depressive subjects had poorer QOL on the physical, psychological and social relationship domains than the non-depressive control group. The depressive subjects who had more severe self-stigma had poorer QOL on all four domains. The depressive subjects who perceived more severe adverse effects from medication had poorer QOL on the physical, psychological and environmental domains. However, insight was not associated with any domain of QOL in patients with depressive disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study demonstrate that different domains of QOL are differently affected by depressive disorders, and that clinicians must consider the negative influences of self-stigma and adverse effects from medication on QOL of subjects with depressive disorders.

Relationship of psychopathological symptoms and cognitive function to subjective quality of life in patients with chronic schizophrenia

AIMS

The purpose of the present study was to examine the extent of the effects of psychopathological symptoms and cognitive function on quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

METHODS

Data were obtained using the Japanese Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (JSQLS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST) Keio version, and Continuous Performance Test (CPT) for 52 schizophrenia patients.

RESULTS

Stepwise regression analysis showed that PANSS depression/anxiety factors predicted JSQLS psychosocial conditions and motivation/energy, and that WCST Categories Achieved predicted JSQLS symptoms/side-effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychopathological symptoms and cognitive function affect subjective QOL in patients with schizophrenia. If the final goal is treatment that improves QOL in a manner that patients themselves are aware of, clinicians probably need to consider a treatment strategy that improves depression/anxiety symptom.

Clinician-rated functioning and patient-rated quality of life in schizophrenia: implications of their correspondence for psychopathology and side effects

OBJECTIVE

Past studies have found inconsistent associations between subjective and objective measures of quality of life (QOL) in schizophrenia. We hypothesized that this may be due to heterogeneity in the demographic and/or clinical variables inherent in the samples and we investigated this possibility.

METHODS

We stratified the patients according to a descriptive measure of correspondence between self-reported QOL and clinician-rated functioning. We then examined whether heterogeneous patterns existed among the subgroups in terms of demographic variables, symptom severity, associations between self-reported and clinician-rated psychopathology and associations between side effects, QOL and functioning.

RESULTS

The subgroups significantly differed with respect to clinician-rated positive symptoms (F=3.075, p<.05), subjective symptoms (somatization, F=5.768, p<.01; obsessive-compulsive, F=3.885, p<.05; interpersonal sensitivity, F=8.278, p<.001; depression, F=9.368, p<.001; anxiety, F=6.909, p<.01; hostility, F=7.787, p<.01; phobic anxiety, F=9.551, p<.001; paranoia, F=5.304, p<.01; psychoticism, F=5.071, p<.01) and in- and outpatient ratio (Chi(2)=11.58, p<.01). Only the subgroup with relatively good correspondence between clinician-rated functioning and self-reported QOL showed significant low to moderate associations between the aforementioned measures and side effects. In addition, they showed similar levels of significant associations between the positive and subjective symptoms. In contrast, other discordant subgroups lacked overall associations between side effects, functioning and QOL as well as between subjective and objective measures of psychopathology.

CONCLUSION

Low to moderate levels of correspondence between subjective QOL and objective functioning were partly supportive of the independence of the constructs. Insight is likely to be a mediating variable of the correspondence between self-report and clinician-rated measures and should be considered in studies using self-report measures.

Quality of life and mental health in Chinese culture

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Quality of life (QOL) has become a standard outcome measure in psychiatry. The QOL concept is culture-dependent, which means that the results of Western studies may not be applicable to Chinese patients. The aim of this study is to summarize the recent literature on QOL and mental health in Chinese culture.

RECENT FINDINGS

QOL has increasingly been used as an outcome measure of pharmacotherapeutic or psychosocial interventions in Chinese societies. Recent studies have suggested that socio-cultural factors exert an influence on the QOL of Chinese psychiatric patients. Patients with major psychiatric disorders have a poorer QOL than the general population. Socio-demographic characteristics have no, or only weak, associations with QOL in schizophrenia, whereas novel antipsychotics and antidepressants improve QOL relative to traditional psychotropic medications in the short term.

SUMMARY

The inclusion of QOL measures in routine clinical practice and research in Chinese societies should be encouraged, and culture-sensitive QOL measures should be developed. Chinese psychiatry should also implement appropriate strategies and effective measures in line with the findings on the relationship between QOL and socio-demographic and clinical factors.

The model of the relationships among the predictors of quality of life in chronic stage of schizophrenia

We attempted to formulate a model of quality of life (QoL) in chronic stage of schizophrenia with 72 patients by including key variables, i.e., psychopathology, insight, executive functioning, and side effects, proposed to be its significant predictors in previous studies. We applied the structural equation modelling (SEM) method to simultaneously test a number of possible hypotheses concerning the inter-relations among the predictors of QoL in schizophrenia patients by formulating possible models and examining their levels of fitness. Our most fit model (X(2)=2.106, df=4, P=0.716; CFI=1.000; TLI=1.213; RMSEA=0.000, LO=0.000, HI=0.132) showed that the severity of psychopathology not only directly causes poor QoL, but also by adversely affecting insight. On the other hand, executive function may not be affected significantly by psychopathology, but executive function still plays an important role in determining the QoL not only directly, but also indirectly by influencing self-evaluation of side-effects. Impaired insight and executive function caused by severe level of psychopathology contribute to an increased reporting of side-effects, resulting in cumulative dysfunction in daily life for patients with chronic schizophrenia. Our study illustrates that the complexity of the relationships among the predictors of QoL in chronic patients of schizophrenia should be considered when designing studies on QoL of this group.

Gender differences in the prevalence, risk and clinical correlates of tardive dyskinesia in Chinese schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

Despite extensive use of antipsychotic drug treatment, few studies address the prevalence of tardive dyskinesia (TD) in homogeneous ethnic groups such as the Chinese. This study examined gender-specific relationships between TD and symptom levels in schizophrenia among Han Chinese, which have previously received little systematic study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Five hundred and twenty-two inpatients with schizophrenia receiving long-term treatment with antipsychotics were evaluated with the AIMS. The patient's psychopathology was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Demographic and clinical data were collected from a detailed questionnaire and medical records.

RESULTS

The overall TD prevalence was 33.7% with rates of 39.2% (138/352) in males and 22.4% (38/170) in females (chi (2) = 14.6, df = 1, p < 0.0001; adjust odds ratio 2.06; CI, 1.32-3.16). The AIMS score in patients with TD was lower in females than males (5.3 +/- 3.9 vs 6.7 +/- 3.7, t = 2.52, p < 0.01) after adjustment for the significant covariates. TD was associated with the negative symptoms on the PANSS in both genders, and with age, PANSS total and positive symptoms in men, not women.

CONCLUSION

Our present findings suggest that there are gender differences in the prevalence, risk, and clinical correlates of TD in schizophrenia. Although this study is limited by cross-sectional designs, the magnitude of these gender-specific differences is substantial and deservers further prospective study.

Discrimination experience and quality of life among rural-to-urban migrants in China: the mediation effect of expectation-reality discrepancy

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of expectation-reality discrepancy in mediating the relationship between discrimination experience and quality of life (QOL) among rural-to-urban migrants in China.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,006 rural-to-urban migrants in 2004-2005 in Beijing, China. QOL was measured using the Chinese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF). The migrants were also asked to report their experience of being discriminated against in the urban areas (i.e., discrimination experience), and their perceived difference between premigratory expectation and postmigratory reality in the city (i.e., expectation-reality discrepancy). Structural equation modeling (SEM) method was employed to assess the mediation effect.

RESULTS

Discrimination experience not only had a direct significant negative effect on QOL among rural-to-urban migrants, but also had an indirect effect through expectation-reality discrepancy on their QOL. Migrants' expectation-reality discrepancy exerted a partially mediation effect in the relationship between discrimination experience and QOL.

CONCLUSIONS

Health promotion and prevention programs in the future to improve migrants' QOL should pay more attention to reducing the discrimination against migrants as well as helping migrants to reduce discrepancy between premigratory expectation and postmigratory reality.

Factor analysis of the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Revision 4 (SQLS-R4) Chinese version and related factors

Objectives. To validate the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Revision 4 (SQLS-R4) Chinese version with factor analysis. We also investigated factors influencing quality of life results. Method. One hundred patients with schizophrenia participated in this study. Experienced psychiatrists evaluated each patient's current psychological condition to assure intact judgment. Participants then filled out the quality of life questionnaire, SQLS-R4. We used principal component analysis to analyze SQLS-R4 with oblique rotation. We also collected demographic data, another subjective and objective quality of life questionnaire, and information about the functional status of the participants at the same time. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze collected factors which may influence the quality of life of schizophrenic patients. Results. We extracted seven factors that explained a 68.1% variance in the patients' quality of life. The factors were relationships with others, loneliness, exhaustion, depressed thinking, somatic concerns, vitality, and worry. Conclusion. We found that the SQLS-R4 factor analysis provided insights into the structure of the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia. We also found that subjective social participation, subjective health, and depression were quality-of-life-related factors. Whether other factors influence the quality of life in patients with schizophrenia requires further investigation.

Predictors of subjective and objective quality of life in outpatients with schizophrenia

AIM

In recent years, greater attention has been given to quality of life (QOL) in schizophrenia and several studies reported that negative and depressive symptoms and cognitive dysfunction are related to patient QOL. But because a variety of QOL measures have been used in the previous studies, there seems to be no unanimous predictors for subjective and objective QOL. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the relationship between clinical variables and subjective and objective QOL in outpatients with schizophrenia, using schizophrenia disease-specific QOL measures. Particular attention was paid to cognitive function as a predictor of QOL.

METHODS

Schizophrenia symptoms of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were divided into five factors: positive factor, negative factor, cognitive factor, emotional discomfort, and hostility. The study sample consisted of 84 schizophrenia outpatients. Subjective and objective QOL were assessed with Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS) and the Quality of Life Scale (QLS), respectively.

RESULTS

Subjective QOL correlated significantly with emotional discomfort, positive factor, negative factor, extrapyramidal symptoms and cognitive factor, while objective QOL correlated with negative factor, cognitive factor, emotional discomfort, extrapyramidal symptoms, and dose of antipsychotics. Total score and three of four subscales in the QLS correlated significantly with cognitive factor, while cognitive factor had a significant correlation with only one of three scales of SQLS. Stepwise regression showed that subjective QOL was significantly predicted by emotional discomfort and extrapyramidal symptoms, while negative factor was the most important predictor of objective QOL.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive dysfunction had a greater influence on objective QOL than subjective QOL. Treating depressive and negative symptoms and extrapyramidal symptoms might contribute to enhanced subjective and objective QOL.

Quality of life and its association with insight, adverse effects of medication and use of atypical antipsychotics in patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in remission

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed: (i) to compare the level of quality of life (QOL) among subjects with bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia who were in remission and healthy control subjects and (ii) to examine the association of QOL with insight, adverse effects of medication and use of atypical antipsychotics among subjects with BD and schizophrenia who were in remission by controlling other confounding factors.

METHODS

The QOL on the four domains of the World Health Organization Questionnaire on Quality of Life: Short Form - Taiwan version (WHOQOL-BREF) were compared between 96 subjects with BD in remission, 96 subjects with schizophrenia in remission and 106 healthy control subjects. The association between the four QOL domains and subjects' insight, adverse effects of medication and use of atypical antipsychotics were examined using multiple regression analyses in the subjects with BD and schizophrenia in remission.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that the subjects with BD in remission had similarly poor levels of QOL in all four domains as those subjects with schizophrenia in remission, and both subjects with BD and schizophrenia had poorer QOL than those in the control group. For both subjects with BD and schizophrenia in remission, insight was negatively associated with QOL on the physical domain, and adverse effects of medication were negatively associated with QOL on the physical and environment domains. Use of atypical antipsychotics was not associated with QOL, but subjects with BD receiving olanzapine perceived better psychological QOL than those receiving risperidone and better psychological and social relationship QOL than those receiving no atypical antipsychotic.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study indicate that subjects with BD are dissatisfied with their QOL, even when they are in a remitted state. Clinicians must consider the negative influences of insight and adverse effects of medication on QOL of patients with BD and schizophrenia in remission.

Insight, quality of life, and functional capacity in middle-aged and older adults with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

The quality of life (QOL) for individuals with schizophrenia is determined by a number of factors, not limited to symptomatology. The current study examined lack of insight as one such factor that may influence subjective QOL or functional capacity. It was hypothesized that insight would significantly interact with symptom severity to influence subjective QOL. Insight was not expected to influence the relation between symptom severity and functional capacity.

METHODS

Participants were middle-aged and older outpatients who met diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and subsyndromal depression. Insight, psychopathology, and subjective QOL were assessed via semi-structured interviews and functional capacity was assessed via performance-based measures.

RESULTS

Insight interacts with negative symptom severity to predict subjective QOL. Severity of negative symptoms and insight contribute directly to functional capacity.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with intact insight may be better able to manage their symptoms, resulting in improved QOL. Treatment implications for improving the QOL of middle age and older adults with schizophrenia are discussed.

Tardive dyskinesia and new antipsychotics

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide an update on tardive dyskinesia rates in patients treated with first-generation or second-generation antipsychotics in studies published since the last systematic review in 2004.

RECENT FINDINGS

Across 12 trials (n = 28 051, age 39.7 years, 59.7% male, 70.9% white, followed for 463 925 person-years), the annualized tardive dyskinesia incidence was 3.9% for second-generation antipsychotics and 5.5% for first-generation antipsychotics. Stratified by age, annual tardive dyskinesia incidence rates were 0.35% with second-generation antipsychotics in children, 2.98% with second-generation antipsychotics versus 7.7% with first-generation antipsychotics (P < 0.0001) in adults, and 5.2% with second-generation antipsychotics versus 5.2% with first-generation antipsychotics (P = 0.865) in the elderly (based almost exclusively on one retrospective cohort study). In four adult studies (n = 2088, age 41.2 years, 71.2% male, 62.0% white), tardive dyskinesia prevalence rates were 13.1% for second-generation antipsychotics, 15.6% for antipsychotic-free patients, and 32.4% for first-generation antipsychotics (P < 0.0001).

SUMMARY

Current evidence supports a lower tardive dyskinesia risk for second-generation antipsychotics than for first-generation antipsychotics. Tardive dyskinesia incidence was higher with second-generation antipsychotics than previously reported, possibly due to recent studies with relatively short mean durations and use of nonstandard tardive dyskinesia definitions.

Subjective and objective quality of life, levels of life skills, and their clinical determinants in outpatients with schizophrenia

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationships among subjective and objective quality of life (QOL), and levels of life skills, and their clinical determinants in outpatients with schizophrenia by using schizophrenia disease-specific QOL measures. Data collected from 64 outpatients were analyzed. Subjective QOL was measured with the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS) and objective QOL with the Quality of Life Scale (QLS). Patients' family members completed the Life Skills Profile (LSP). Clinical symptoms were also assessed with several scales including the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). Only the motivation/energy scale, but not the other scales of the SQLS, correlated with the QLS. The LSP rated by the family showed significant correlations with both the SQLS and the QLS. The CDSS score predicted each scale of the SQLS, and the BPRS negative symptoms score predicted the QLS. The LSP was predicted by the BPRS negative symptoms score and the CDSS score independently. These results indicate that the patient's QOL could be predicted by the life skills measured by a family member and suggest that active treatment for depressive and negative symptoms might be recommended to improve the patient's QOL and life skills.

Effect of thought disorders on quality of life in patients with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of thought disorder on quality of life in patients with schizophrenia.

METHODS

Seventy two patients with schizophrenia and 46 healthy subjects were included in the study. World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument Short Forum (WHOQOL-BREF) was given to patients and healthy subjects to assess quality of life. Thought and Language Index (TLI) for thought disorders, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANNS) for symptom and Calgary Depression Scale (CDS) for depressive symptoms were administered to the patients.

RESULTS

The comparison of quality of life between patients and healthy subjects showed a significant difference except environmental domain. There were no significant correlations between thought disorder and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia.

CONCLUSION

The present study revealed that quality of life was lower in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy subjects. There was no relation between thought disorders and quality of life in schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia were aware of their quality of life perception.

Evaluation of schizophrenic patients quality of life

<zakljucak> I pored metodoloskih i epistemioloskih nedostataka istrazivanja kvaliteta zivota shizofrenih bolesnika (manjkavost jedinstvenog metodoloskog pristupa, sto povlaci za sobom neodredjenosti u definisanju problema istrazivanja i teskoce u operacionalizaciji) ova ispitivanja su se pokazala kao pouzdan indikator ishoda (outcome indicator) razlicitih oblika tretmana shizofrenih bolesnika, primene lekova, posebno. I ako rezultati ovih, u sustini multidimenzionih, istrazivanja zavise od depresivnog raspolozenja, crta licnosti i mehanizama prilagodjavanja koje shizofreni ispitanik koristi, istrazivanja kvaliteta zivota shizofrenih bolesnika ce ostati pouzdan, naucno verifikovan pokazatelj humanog statusa najbrojnijih medju teskim psihijatrijskim bolesnicima. Sto se instrumenata istrazivanja kvaliteta zivota tice, izdvojili bismo tri. Prvi od njih, Upitnik o kvalitetu zivota (QLS), najstariji je i dugo se, zbog dobrih metrickih svojstava, koristio u istrazivanjima ove vrste u svetu, ukljucujuci i domace autore 84. Sledeci, Mancesterski upitik o kvalitetu zivota (MANSA) relativno je kratak i primenjivan je u novijim istrazivanjima kvaliteta zivota psihijatrijskih bolesnika u svetu i kod nas. Najzad, izdvojili bismo onaj koji se najvise koristi. To je WHO-QOL-Brief, kraca verzija Upitnika o kvalitetu zivota shizofrenih bolesnika SZO. On se vrlo cesto pojavljuje u najnovijim istrazivanjima ove vrste (poslednjih pet godina) u svetu, a posebno u studijama sa transkulturnim obelezjima. Izbor ovog poslednjeg instrumenta omogucio bi nasim istrazivacima, ne samo brzo prikupljanje podataka, nego i validnije poredjenje sopstvenih rezultata istrazivanja sa slicnima u svetu. Istrazivanja kvaliteta zivota psihijatrijskih bolesnika, a shizofrenih bolesnika posebno, smatramo nezaobilaznim, ne samo u naucnim studijama vezanim za probleme najrasirenijeg psihoticnog poremecaja, nego i vaznim za planiranje i evaluaciju programa pomoci hronicnim psihoticnim bolesnicima uopste, posebno ako se imaju u vidu ambiciozne reforme institucijske psihijatrijske zastite zapocete kod nas.

Quality of life in schizophrenic patients

In the last decades, there has been increased interest in the field of quality of life in mental disorders in general, and particularly in schizophrenia. In addition, the appearance of the atypical antipsychotic drugs (amisul pride, aripiprazole, clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and ziprasidone) with different therapeutic and side-effect profiles, has promoted a greater interest in assessing the quality of life of schizophrenic patients. In this paper we will briefly summarize the difficulties in assessing quality of life in schizophrenic patients, as well as the results concerning their quality of life and the influence of psychopathology, especially negative and depressive symptoms, on it. We will also review data from recent clinical trials showing the impact of antipsychotic treatments and their side effects upon quality of life.

The effectiveness of ziprasidone in treating impaired quality of life in schizophrenia: a 12-month, open-label, flexible-dose, naturalistic observational study of patients undergoing usual care

OBJECTIVE

Health related quality of life (HRQL) has become an important outcome measure in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. This long-term observational study examined ziprasidone-induced improvement in satisfaction with HRQL in schizophrenia patients treated under real-world conditions.

METHOD

Seventy schizophrenia patients with persistent symptoms or troublesome side effects were assigned to a 12-month, open-label, flexible-dose (40-160 mg/d), large-scale, naturalistic trial. Outcome measures were taken at baseline, 6, and 12 months, and included the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), severity of symptoms, distress, and side effects.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients fully completed the study protocol. Patients reported poorer general HRQL compared with healthy subjects. At the end of the study, significant improvement in general activity, and satisfaction with life was observed. The effect sizes for these changes were moderate (0.55, and 0.72, respectively). After Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons improvement in satisfaction with general activity remained significant. No significant changes were noted in other Q-LES-Q dimensions. Improvement in general activity was associated with a reduction in the severity of symptoms and emotional distress, but was unrelated to the ziprasidone daily dose, side effect scores, and concomitantly prescribed antidepressants, anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, or antiparkinson drugs.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that ziprasidone treatment resulted in the improvement of the satisfaction with general activity that tended to increase over time, from month 6 onwards. This effect was associated with reduction in the severity of clinical symptoms, and emotional distress.

Impact of sociodemographic and clinical factors on subjective quality of life in schizophrenia patients in Beijing, China

The impact of sociodemographic and clinical factors on subjective quality of life (SQOL) in Chinese schizophrenia outpatients was explored. Randomly selected subjects with schizophrenia (N = 273) were assessed with respect to their sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, and SQOL. Compared with the Chinese general population, patients had significantly lower scores in the physical and social SQOL domains. Multiple regression analyses revealed that depressive symptoms inversely predicted all SQOL domains; positive symptoms negatively predicted psychological, social, and environmental SQOL domains whereas educational level, extrapyramidal side effects, anxiety, history of suicide attempts, employment status, monthly income, number of hospitalization, and length of illness all significantly contributed to 1 or 2 SQOL domains.

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of reduced tardive dyskinesia with second-generation antipsychotics

BACKGROUND

Second-generation antipsychotics may have few advantages over older, cheaper drugs, except for possibly reduced risk of tardive dyskinesia.

AIMS

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of second-generation antipsychotics with regard to reducing tardive dyskinesia.

METHOD

Literature was reviewed on risk of tardive dyskinesia with second-generation antipsychotics; on severity, duration and impairment of tardive dyskinesia; and on the relationship of this disorder to quality of life and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Diverse cost and benefit assumptions and of 1-year and 5-year planning horizons were examined in a deterministic sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

Estimating 0.143 QALYs lost per case of severe tardive dyskinesia, 1-year cost-effectiveness cumulative estimates ranged from pounds 74,000 (dollars 149,000) to pounds 342,000 (dollars 683,000) per QALY, all above the conventional policy threshold of pounds 25,000 (dollars 50,000).

CONCLUSIONS

Reduction of tardive dyskinesia with second-generation antipsychotics appears unlikely to meet standards for cost-effectiveness.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of ziprasidone versus haloperidol in sequential intramuscular/oral treatment of exacerbation of schizophrenia: economic subanalysis of the ZIMO trial

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the cost effectiveness of ziprasidone versus haloperidol in sequential intramuscular (IM)/oral treatment of patients with exacerbation of schizophrenia in Spain.

METHODS

A cost-effectiveness analysis from the hospital perspective was performed. Length of stay, study medication and use of concomitant drugs were calculated using data from the ZIMO trial. The effectiveness of treatment was determined by the percentage of responders (reduction in baseline Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale [BPRS] negative symptoms subscale >or=30%). Economic assessment included estimation of mean (95% CI) total costs, cost per responder and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per additional responder. The economic uncertainty level was controlled by resampling and calculation of cost-effectiveness acceptability curves.

RESULTS

A total of 325 patients (ziprasidone n = 255, haloperidol n = 70) were included in this economic subanalysis. Ziprasidone showed a significantly higher responder rate compared with haloperidol (71% vs 56%, respectively; p = 0.023). Mean total costs were euro3582 (95% CI 3226, 3937) for ziprasidone and euro2953 (95% CI 2471, 3436) for haloperidol (p = 0.039), mainly due to a higher ziprasidone acquisition cost. However, costs per responder were lower with ziprasidone (euro5045 [95% CI 4211, 6020]) than with haloperidol (euro5302 [95% CI 3666, 7791], with a cost per additional responder (ICER) for ziprasidone of euro4095 (95% CI -130, 22 231). The acceptability curve showed an ICER cut-off value of euro13 891 at the 95% cost-effectiveness probability level for >or=30% reduction in BPRS negative symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with haloperidol, ziprasidone was significantly better at controlling psychotic negative symptoms in acute psychoses. The extra cost of ziprasidone was offset by a higher effectiveness rate, yielding a lower cost per responder. In light of the social benefit (less family burden and greater restoration of productivity), the incremental cost per additional responder with sequential IM/oral ziprasidone should be considered cost effective in patients with exacerbation of schizophrenia in Spain.

Quality of life of Chinese schizophrenia outpatients in Hong Kong: relationship to sociodemographic factors and symptomatology

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationships between sociodemographic and clinical factors and quality of life (QOL) in a cohort of Chinese schizophrenia outpatients.

METHOD

Two hundred subjects with a diagnosis of DSM-IV schizophrenia aged 18-60 years were randomly selected, and their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics including psychotic and depressive symptoms, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), and quality of life were assessed. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships of sociodemographic, clinical data and QOL.

RESULTS

Compared to normative data obtained for the general population in Hong Kong, significantly lower scores in physical, psychological, and social QOL domains were found in the patient group. History of suicidal attempts and the presence of positive, negative, depressive, anxiety and EPS symptoms were all significantly correlated with QOL in schizophrenia patients. After controlling for the effects of variables that were significantly correlated with QOL in the correlation analysis, however, only depressive symptoms were still significantly correlated with each QOL domain. Multiple regression analysis showed that depressive symptoms predicted all QOL domains, while positive symptoms predicted overall and physical QOL domains.

CONCLUSIONS

Chinese outpatients with schizophrenia had poorer QOL than the general population. In this patient population, QOL was more strongly related to the severity of depressive symptoms and was independent of sociodemographic factors.

Quality of life and functioning ability in subjects vulnerable to psychosis

BACKGROUND

It is well established that quality of life (QOL) and functioning ability are impaired in psychosis, especially schizophrenia. Little is known about QOL and functioning in subjects vulnerable to psychosis (VTP).

METHOD

Three samples of nonpsychotic subjects (first-degree relatives of psychotic or severely ill patients, treatment-seeking patients, and a random community sample, in all 133 subjects) were assessed by the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms and their vulnerability to psychosis was defined by severity of lifetime psychotic-like positive symptoms (nonsymptomatic, symptomatic, VTP). Quality of life was assessed by the Heinrichs' Quality of Life Scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning Ability (GAF) was used to measure functioning. Variance of QOL and GAF was explained by vulnerability status and psychiatric symptoms.

RESULTS

Quality of life and functioning ability decreased linearly as positive symptom intensity increased and was lowest in the VTP subjects when background factors were controlled for. In multivariate analysis, negative symptoms predicted low QOL/GAF scores in addition to vulnerability status that was based on positive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Vulnerability to psychosis is associated with decreased QOL and impaired functioning ability. Although current diagnostic evaluation of patients at high risk of psychosis relies heavily on the occurrence of positive symptoms, negative symptoms seem to be strongly associated with QOL and functioning ability in VTP subjects. This should be taken into account when assessing putatively vulnerable patients and planning treatment interventions for them.

Clinical correlates of clozapine prescription for schizophrenia in China

AIMS

Few studies have investigated the prescription patterns of clozapine in outpatients with schizophrenia in China. It is an important issue due to clozapine's high efficacy and potentially fatal side effect profile. This study examined the use of clozapine and its correlates in China.

METHODS

Three hundred ninety-eight clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia were randomly selected and interviewed in Hong Kong (HK) and Beijing (BJ). Assessment instruments included the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Simpson and Angus Scale of Extrapyramidal Symptoms, Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale and the Hong Kong and Mainland China World Health Organization Quality of Life Schedule-Brief version. Assessments were performed by the same investigator in both sites.

RESULTS

Clozapine was prescribed to 15.6% of (n = 62) patients. There was a wide inter-site variation between HK and BJ. Use of clozapine was associated with age, age at onset, extrapyramidal side effects (EPS), having health insurance, use of depot and typical antipsychotic and anticholinergic drugs and benzodiazepines as well as history of suicidal attempts. On multiple logistic regression analysis, the number of hospitalizations, site (HK vs. BJ), use of typical antipsychotics, polypharmacy and co-prescription with anticholinergics were significantly associated with the prescription of clozapine. No significant differences were found between the clozapine and non-clozapine groups with regard to any of the quality of life domains.

CONCLUSION

A combination of economical and clinical factors, health policies and the characteristics of the treatment settings plays important roles in determining clozapine use. Clozapine appears to have little significant influence on quality of life in clinical stable Chinese patients with schizophrenia.

The relationship between patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes in schizophrenia

In recent years, the goals of treatment in schizophrenia have evolved from objective improvements in psychotic symptoms to encompass patient-related factors such as subjective response and quality of life. In order to examine factors that influence patient satisfaction with treatment, subjective quality of life and subjective response to treatment, two literature searches were performed using PubMed. The first searched for articles of any kind with no time limits using the search parameters 'schizophrenia AND satisfaction', 'antipsychotic AND satisfaction', 'schizophrenia AND subjective response', 'schizophrenia AND therapeutic alliance', 'schizophrenia AND psychosocial OR psychoeducation'. Secondly, PubMed was searched between January 1990 and December 2005 using the key words 'satisfaction', 'subjective response' and 'quality of life' in combination with an array of atypical agents. Results demonstrated that patient satisfaction with antipsychotic therapy is influenced by multiple factors. The most frequently reported reasons for dissatisfaction include drug side effects, lack of involvement in treatment planning or decision-making and lack of involvement of family members in the care plan. The majority of studies have demonstrated that the atypical antipsychotics are associated with significant improvements in quality of life, functional status and patient satisfaction compared with conventional agents. The therapeutic alliance is key to achieving optimal outcomes, by providing information and education to meet patients' needs, while facilitating compliance with drug therapy to ensure better clinical outcomes. A long-acting atypical antipsychotic that can ensure medication delivery will provide a platform for psychosocial interventions, and thus may further increase patient satisfaction and, ultimately, improve long-term outcomes in schizophrenia.

Quality of life for patients with schizophrenia in a Japanese psychiatric hospital

Providing a good quality of life (QOL) has recently been recognized as a central purpose of health care in psychiatry. In this study, we performed a detailed evaluation of the subjective QOL of schizophrenic inpatients and examined the relationship of QOL to various patient characteristics. This study was conducted on schizophrenic inpatients and nursing staff members in a Japanese private psychiatric hospital. As a result, only depression showed a weak, but significant, relationship with subjective QOL. Other characteristics showed no meaningful correlation to subjective QOL. Comparison between the schizophrenic group and the nursing staff group revealed that schizophrenic inpatients showed a lower QOL in the domains of physical health and social relationships. Schizophrenia itself and/or accompanying disabilities might induce lower subjective QOL. It is difficult to determine what the important factors are, except for depression, for subjective QOL of schizophrenic inpatients. However, depression should receive more attention for the QOL in the physical health and psychological health domains.

Clinical characteristics and objective living conditions in relation to quality of life among community-based individuals of schizophrenia in Hong Kong

Quality of life (QOL) has gained importance as an outcome measure for people with schizophrenia living in the community following deinstitutionalization. This study aims at exploring the effects of clinical characteristics and objective living conditions on QOL. In this study, 201 community-based individuals with schizophrenia were recruited from five different types of objective living conditions comprising long stay care home, halfway house, supported hostel/housing, living with family, and living alone. Clinical characteristics including cognitive abilities, symptom levels, and community/social functioning were assessed by the Allen Cognitive Level Screen, the Scales for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms and Positive Symptoms, and the Chinese version of the Multnomah Community Ability Scale respectively. The outcome measure of QOL was measured by the Chinese version of the WHO Quality of Life Measure. Analysis of covariance showed significant differences in community/social functioning, cognitive abilities, and negative symptoms; but not in QOL under different objective living conditions. Further simultaneous multiple regressions found out that community/social functioning was the robust significant predictor of QOL. Yet caution should be noted in making the conclusion with the objective living condition of long stay care home, as it provides a protective element for the perseverance of QOL.

The quality of life of the mentally ill living in residential facilities: findings from a national survey in Italy

Quality of Life (QOL) is an outcome measure particularly useful to assess the effects of deinstitutionalization policies. To date no large-scale study has been conducted in residential facilities (RFs). Participants included 1492 subjects living in 174 RFs (20% of the total) randomly sampled in 15 Italian regions. Assessment instruments included the WHOQOL-Bref, the GAF, and the Physical Health Index (PHI). WHOQOL scores of residents were compared with those of healthy subjects (N = 65) and outpatients with schizophrenia (N = 162). Multivariate analyses were used to examine the relationship between selected patients' characteristics and WHOQOL scores. Mean WHOQOL scores of residents were similar to those of outpatients with schizophrenia, and substantially lower than those of healthy controls. Lower scores on WHOQOL domains were associated with schizophrenia and non-affective psychoses, unipolar depression, anxiety or somatoform disorders, shorter duration of illness, positive, negative or mood symptoms, lower GAF scores, no participation in internal activities, and PHI score. Our findings are consistent with previous studies. The present study highlights a marked difference between patients in RFs and healthy controls in the social domain. This suggests the need of well-designed rehabilitation plans, tailored to patients' needs, to foster the development of their independence and, ultimately, improve their QOL.

Quantitative analysis of motor disturbances in schizophrenic patients

The presence of neurological signs and disturbed psychomotor performance have been consistently confirmed by clinical studies in schizophrenic patients. These parameters are mainly assessed by using clinical rating scales. In recent years, new approaches such as ultrasonic movement analysis systems have been introduced in order to objectively evaluate motor disturbances in schizophrenic patients. Ultrasonic movement analysis systems calculate the three-dimensional positions of tiny markers, which are attached to moving body parts, with high spatial and temporal resolution. Thus, key parameters of gait and hand movements can be determined precisely. This article summarizes and discusses several studies using these new methods. Results indicate that schizophrenia causes a specific motor deficit pattern, with a predominant disturbance of spatial parameters. Conventional antipsychotic treatment usually worsens these deficits, whereas the effects of atypical antipsychotic treatments are less pronounced. Disturbed motor performance can be normalized by external sensory stimuli, but only when no major attentional processes are required, and it can be enhanced by an attentional strategy, but not to the extent that motor parameters are normalized.

Qualidade de vida e dimensão ocupacional na esquizofrenia: uma comparação por sexo

A esquizofrenia afeta desfavoravelmente a qualidade de vida dos pacientes, mas seu impacto pode variar de acordo com o sexo. Diferenças relatadas têm orientado o planejamento de intervenções específicas. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a qualidade de vida por sexo em pacientes com esquizofrenia, explorando o domínio ocupacional. Foi conduzido um estudo transversal com pacientes em acompanhamento ambulatorial, mensurando a qualidade de vida por meio da Quality of Life Scale (QLS-BR). Comparações dos escores de qualidade de vida foram feitas, seguidas de análises multivariadas usando a árvore de classificação (CHAID) e a regressão logística ordinal. Os resultados apontam melhor qualidade de vida para mulheres (p < 0,05). No domínio ocupacional, o estado civil apresentou-se como a variável mais relevante: mulheres e homens solteiros apresentaram baixa qualidade de vida quando comparados com os casados, respectivamente OR = 4,5 (IC95%: 1,2-16,6) e OR=10,0 (IC95%: 2,9-33,3). Duração da doença (> 5 anos) outro marcador importante, porém no modelo logístico esta variável associou-se à baixa qualidade de vida somente para os homens (OR = 3,2; IC95%: 1,1-9,0). Mulheres apresentaram melhor qualidade de vida, sugerindo maior envolvimento ocupacional, possivelmente resultante de uma maior demanda social e em atividades do lar.

Outcome on quality of life in a Canadian national sample of patients with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders

OBJECTIVE

To examine changes in subjective and objective dimensions of quality of life (QoL) in a large Canadian sample of patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder treated in academic and non-academic settings over a 2-year period.

METHOD

Patients recruited in the study across the country were assessed for QoL and functioning using the Client and Provider versions of the Wisconsin Quality of Life Questionnaire (WQoL) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) at baseline (n = 448), 1 year (n = 308-353) and 2 years (188-297). Data were analyzed to examine change across time using multivariate analyses controlling for potential influence of variables such as age, regional variation, gender, duration of illness, type of treatment taken and baseline measures of symptoms and QoL.

RESULTS

The weighted quality of life index (W-QoL-I) showed a significant change on both the client and the provider versions of the WQoL while the physical and mental composites of the SF-36 showed change only at 2 years. These changes were influenced significantly by baseline scores on W-QoL-I and in the case of provider version of the WQoL by baseline Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores. Regional variation or type of medication had no impact on improvement in QoL.

CONCLUSION

Within a naturalistic sample of schizophrenia patients treated and followed in routine care the overall QoL showed an improvement over time but this improvement was not influenced by the type of medication prescribed.