Subjective wellbeing under quetiapine treatment: effect of diagnosis, mood state, and anxiety

Clinical and psychosocial factors associated with depression in patients with psychosis according to stage of illness

AIM

This study investigated the clinical characteristics and psychosocial factors associated with depression in patients with early psychosis according to stage of illness.

METHODS

The present study includes patients who fulfil the DSM-5 criteria for schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. Patients were divided into two groups according to illness stage (the acute stage of first-episode psychosis and stabilization phase of recent-onset psychosis). Clinically meaningful depression was defined as moderate or severe on the depression dimension of the Clinician-Rated Dimensions of Psychosis Symptom Severity scale in the DSM-5.

RESULTS

In total, 340 (207 first-episode and 133 recent-onset) patients were recruited in this study. Patients with comorbid depression were characterized by frequent suicidal ideation, a past suicide attempt, and lower scores on the Subjective Well-being Under Neuroleptics and Brief Resilience Scale in both groups. Long duration of untreated psychosis and higher scores on the Early Trauma Inventory Self Report were associated with depression in the acute stage of first-episode psychosis. In the stabilization phase of recent-onset psychosis group, a monthly income and scores for sexual desire and on the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale-III were significantly lower in patients with depression than in those without depression.

CONCLUSION

Comorbid depression was associated with high suicidality, lower quality of life and poor resilience in patients with first-episode and recent-onset psychosis. Depression was associated with factors that had been present before the initiation of treatment in patients with first-episode psychosis and with environmental factors in those in the stabilization phase.

Subjective response to antipsychotics in bipolar disorders: A review of a neglected area

Background:

The term “subjective response to antipsychotic” (SRA) refers to changes in the subjective state experienced due to antipsychotic (AP) exposition that is independent of the therapeutic or physical side effects of these drugs. This dimension of analysis has been extensively explored in schizophrenic disorders, finding that negative SRA is an early and independent predictor of compliance as well as a successful pathway to construct current theoretical frameworks of these disorders. There is an increasing use of AP in bipolar disorders’ treatment (BD) but no reviews on the topic have been published to date in this population. The aim of this work is to review published data of SRA in BD patients and to discuss their clinical and theoretical implications.

Methods:

An extensive search in online databases was performed. Reports were reviewed and included if they described SRA in BD or included instruments aimed to assess it. Reports of cognitive, sexual, motor autonomic side effects were excluded. Findings were summarized in a narrative fashion.

Results:

Nine reports fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the revision, reporting data from 1282 BD patients. Among these, three were prospective studies and three explored relations between SRA and treatment compliance.

Conclusions:

There is an asymmetry between the increase in the use of antipsychotics in BD and the lack of data regarding the SRA. Phenomenologically, SRA in BD is similar to that found in schizophrenic subjects. Some of these symptoms may be misdiagnosed as depressive symptoms. The existing data show that SRA has a strong correlation with treatment compliance as well as a promising way to develop theoretical paradigms for these disorders.

The association of psychopathology with concurrent level of functioning and subjective well-being in persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

The objective is to investigate the relationship between psychopathology measured by the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) and concurrent global assessment of functioning (GAF) and subjective well-being under neuroleptics (SWN) in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) regarding severity of illness and disease phase. We analyzed a sample of 202 SSD patients consisting of first episode psychosis (FEP) and multiple episode psychosis (MEP) patients followed up to 12 months using linear mixed models. All PANSS syndromes except excitement were associated with GAF scores (positive syndrome: p < 0.001, d = 1.21; negative syndrome: p = 0.029, d = 0.015; disorganized syndrome: p < 0.001, d = 0.37; anxiety/depression syndrome: p < 0.001, d = 0.49), and positive symptoms had an increasing impact on global functioning with higher severity of illness (mildly ill: p = 0.039, d = 0.22; moderately ill: p < 0.001, d = 0.28; severely ill: p < 0.001, d = 0.69). SWN was associated with positive (p = 0.002, d = 0.22) and anxiety/depression (p < 0.001, d = 0.38) syndromes. Subgroup analyses showed differing patterns depending on illness severity and phase. Over all our results show different patterns of associations of psychopathology and concurrent functioning and subjective well-being. These findings contribute knowledge on the possible role of specific psychopathological syndromes for the functioning and well-being of our patients and may enable tailored treatments depending on severity and phase of illness.

Comparison of psychotic bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia: an international, multisite study

OBJECTIVE

Nosological distinctions among schizoaffective disorder (SA), bipolar I disorder with psychotic features (BDp), and schizophrenia (SZ) remain unresolved.

METHOD

We compared 2269 subjects with psychotic features in DSM-IV-TR diagnoses (1435 BDp, 463 SZ, 371 SA) from 8 collaborating international sites, by 12 sociodemographic and clinical measures, all between diagnostic pairs.

RESULTS

In bivariate comparisons, SA was consistently intermediate between BDp and SZ for 11/12 features (except onset stressors), and SZ vs. BDp differed in all 12 factors. SA differed from both BDp and SZ in 9/12 factors: SA and BDp were similar in education and suicidal ideation or acts; SA and SZ were similar in education, onset stressors, and substance abuse. Meta-analytic comparisons of diagnostic pairs for 10 categorical factors indicated similar differences of SA from both SZ and BDp. Multivariate modeling indicated significantly independent differences between BDp and SZ (8 factors), SA vs. SZ (5), and BDp vs. SA (3). Measurement variance was similar for all diagnoses.

CONCLUSION

SA was consistently intermediate between BDp and SZ. The three diagnostic groups ranked: BDp > SA > SZ related to lesser morbidity or disability. The findings are not consistent with a dyadic Kraepelinian categorization, although the considerable overlap among the three DSM-IV diagnostic groups indicates uncertain boundaries if they represent distinct disorders.

The assessment of quality of life in clinical practice in patients with schizophrenia

The aim of the present article is to review QoL scales used in studies investigating patients with schizophrenia over the past 5 years, and to summarize the results of QoL assessment in clinical practice in these patients. Literature available from January 2009 to December 2013 was identified in a PubMed search using the key words "quality of life" and "schizophrenia" and in a cross-reference search for articles that were particularly relevant. A total of n=432 studies used 35 different standardized generic and specific QoL scales in patients with schizophrenia. Affective symptoms were major obstacles for QoL improvement in patients with schizophrenia. Though positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive functioning may be seen as largely independent parameters from subjective QoL, especially in cross-sectional trials, long-term studies confirmed a critical impact of early QoL improvement on long-term symptomatic and functional remission, as well as of early symptomatic response on long-term QoL. Results of the present review suggest that QoL is a valid and useful outcome criterion in patients with schizophrenia. As such, it should be consistently applied in clinical trials. Understanding the relationship between symptoms and functioning with QoL is important because interventions that focus on symptoms of psychosis or functioning alone may fail to improve subjective QoL to the same level. However, the lack of consensus on QoL scales hampers research on its predictive validity. Future research needs to find a consensus on the concept and measures of QoL and to test whether QoL predicts better outcomes with respect to remission and recovery under consideration of different treatment approaches in patients with schizophrenia.

Schizoaffective disorder diagnosed according to different diagnostic criteria--systematic literature search and meta-analysis of key clinical characteristics and heterogeneity

BACKGROUND

Schizoaffective disorder is viewed as a heterogeneous diagnosis among psychotic illnesses. Different diagnostic systems differ in their definition with DSM (-IIIR, -IV, and -V) providing a narrower definition than RDC and ICD-10. It is unclear whether this difference is reflected in patient samples diagnosed according to different diagnostic systems.

METHODS

Exploratory study based on a systematic review of studies of schizoaffective disorder samples diagnosed by either RDC and ICD-10 (group of "broad criteria") or DSM-IIIR and -IV ("narrow criteria"); comparison (by Mann-Whitney-U-tests) of key characteristics, such as age, number of hospitalizations, or scores in psychometric tests, between more broadly and more narrowly defined schizoaffective disorder samples using standard deviations as a measurement of heterogeneity as well as weighted means and percentages. To reduce selection bias only studies including schizoaffective patient samples together with affective disorder and schizophrenia samples were selected.

RESULTS

55 studies were included, 14 employing RDC, 4 ICD-10, 20 DSM-IIIR, and 17 DSM-IV. Thirteen characteristics were compared: patients diagnosed according to broader criteria had fewer previous hospitalizations (2.2 vs. 5.4) and were both less often male (42 vs. 51%) and married (21 vs. 40%). Heterogeneity was similar in both groups but slightly higher in RDC and ICD-10 samples than in DSM-IIIR and -IV-samples: +4% regarding demographic and clinical course data and +13% regarding psychometric tests (pooled SD).

LIMITATIONS

Secular trends and different designs may have confounded the results and limit generalizability. Some comparisons were underpowered.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in diagnostic criteria are reflected in key characteristics of samples. The association of larger heterogeneity with wider diagnostic criteria supports employing standard deviations as a measurement of heterogeneity.

Subjective well-being in schizophrenia: a randomised controlled open-label 12-month non-inferiority study comparing quetiapine XR with risperidone (RECOVER)

This randomised 12-month open study analysed the effectiveness of quetiapine XR (400-800 mg) versus risperidone (2-6 mg) on subjective well-being in schizophrenia (NCT00600756). Primary objective was to demonstrate non-inferiority of quetiapine XR to risperidone in 6-month responder rate using the Subjective Well-Being under Neuroleptics scale (SWN-K) (per-protocol at Month 6 [PP 6] population). Non-inferiority was defined as the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) greater than -9.7% for the adjusted difference between quetiapine XR and risperidone. Secondary objectives included non-inferiority of quetiapine XR versus risperidone (lower limit of 95% CI greater than -7.5 points) for SWN-K change from baseline to Month 12 (PP 12). 798 patients were randomised (quetiapine XR, n=395; risperidone, n=403); at Month 12, 212 (54%) and 227 (56%) patients, respectively, completed the study. At Month 6, SWN-K responder rate in the PP 6 population was 65% (136/210) with quetiapine XR and 68% (158/232) with risperidone (adjusted treatment difference: -5.7%; 95% CI: -15.1, 3.7); thus, non-inferiority could not be established. SWN-K change from baseline to Month 12 was 23.2 points for quetiapine XR and 21.1 points for the risperidone group; treatment difference was 2.1 (95% CI: -0.8; 5.0); non-inferiority was established (PP 12).

CONCLUSION

SWN-K response at 6 months was comparable between the two antipsychotics. However, with a lower than expected responder rate and a lower than expected number of evaluable patients in the PP 6 population, non-inferiority was not demonstrated. A secondary objective (SWN-K total score) established non-inferiority of quetiapine XR to risperidone at Month 12.

Heterogeneity of schizoaffective disorder compared with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

Low diagnostic reliability, the need to meet criteria of two disorders, and its status as residual diagnosis in clinical practice led us to hypothesize that schizoaffective disorder (SAD) is characterized by considerable heterogeneity, particularly in comparison with schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). As this has not been investigated the aim of this study is to test whether heterogeneity is larger in SAD than in SZ and BD.

METHOD

Systematic search for studies simultaneously comparing all three diagnoses regarding demographic, clinical, psychometric (clinical rating scales and IQ tests), and biological parameters; comparison of heterogeneity as measured by standard deviation (SD).

RESULTS

Standard deviation of SAD samples (N = 47) was smaller than in both differential diagnoses. SDs were 7% higher in BD than in SAD (SZ: 2% higher); in studies employing DSM-IIIR/-IV pooled SD was 4% higher in BD (8% lower in SZ). Differences between diagnoses were limited to the comparison of SAD and BD, and became smaller when only psychotic BD was considered.

CONCLUSION

Heterogeneity of SZ and BD is not smaller than that of SAD. SAD seems not to be more diverse than other functional psychoses. Results are preliminary because of the novelty of the approach and to the small number of studies.

Characteristics of patients diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder compared with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

Information on basic demographic and clinical characteristics of schizoaffective disorder is sparse and subject to sampling bias and low diagnostic reliability. In the present study we aimed to: (i) estimate the demographic and clinical descriptors in schizoaffective disorder patients and (ii) compare the findings with those with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

METHODS

To minimize sampling bias and low reliability, we systematically reviewed studies that simultaneously compared schizoaffective, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder patients. We estimated demographic, clinical, and psychometric characteristics based on weighted pooling, and compared disorders by meta-analysis. We also estimated whether schizoaffective disorder is closer to schizophrenia or to bipolar disorder.

RESULTS

We identified 50 studies that included 18312 patients. Most characteristics of the 2684 schizoaffective disorder patients fell between those of 4814 diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 10814 with schizophrenia. However, the schizoaffective group had the highest proportion of women (52%), had the youngest age at illness onset (23.3 ± 3.8 years), and had the highest standardized ratings of psychosis and depression. Differences in pooled parameters between schizoaffective versus schizophrenia and versus bipolar disorder subjects were similar. Values for patients with schizoaffective disorders mostly were intermediate between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, the majority of studies showed schizoaffective patients to be more like schizophrenia than bipolar disorder patients in seven out of nine demographic and clinical categories as well as in five out of eight psychometric measures. These results remained similar when we restricted the analyses to studies with psychotic bipolar disorder patients only or to studies using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IIIR and DSM-IV only.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provided estimates of important characteristics of schizoaffective disorder - as balanced as possible in summarizing the findings from observational studies as unbiased as possible. The results did not support the hypothesis that schizoaffective disorder is primarily an affective disorder. The stronger resemblance of schizoaffective disorder to schizophrenia than to bipolar disorder needs further investigation.

The effect of paliperidone extended release on subjective well-being and responses in patients with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the subjective well-being and attitudes toward antipsychotic medication of patients with schizophrenia who had switched to paliperidone extended release (ER).

METHODS

A total of 291 patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotics participated in this open-label, 24-week switching study. The primary outcome measures were the Subjective Well-Being under Neuroleptic Treatment Scale-short version (SWN-K) and the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI). The Krawiecka scale, Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia (CGI-SCH), Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP) were used to evaluate psychopathology and psychosocial functioning, respectively.

RESULTS

Data from a total of 243 subjects who received the study medication and had at least one follow-up assessment without a major protocol violation were analyzed. Scores on the DAI and SWN-K showed significant improvement between baseline and end-point measurements beginning during the second week. Scores on the Krawiecka scale, all five subscales of the CGI-SCH scale, and the PSP scale were also significantly improved at the end point compared with the baseline. Significant predictors of improvements in the SWN-K and DAI after a switch to paliperidone ER were baseline scores, reductions in scores on the Krawiecka scale, and previous risperidone use. A clinically relevant increase in body weight (≥7% weight gain) occurred in one-fourth of the participants who completed the 24-week study.

CONCLUSION

Switching to paliperidone ER improved the subjective well-being and attitudes towards antipsychotic medication in patients with schizophrenia. Exploratory analyses revealed that these improvements were particularly pronounced in patients who had been treated with risperidone before treatment with paliperidone ER.

Remission as perceived by people with schizophrenia, family members and psychiatrists

INTRODUCTION

Studies indicate that patient-rated outcomes and symptomatic remission as defined by the remission in schizophrenia working group rely on different assumptions. The aim of this observational study was to assess symptomatic remission by patients with schizophrenia, family members and psychiatrists and to compare their assessments with standardized criteria and clinical measures.

METHODS

One hundred and thirty-one patients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV), family members and psychiatrists assessed remission within the European Group on Functional Outcomes and Remission in Schizophrenia (EGOFORS) project. Symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS]), functional outcome (Functional Recovery Scale in Schizophrenia [FROGS]), subjective well-being (SWN-K) and demographic characteristics were investigated.

RESULTS

Remission assessed by psychiatrists showed the best accordance with standardized remission (80%), followed by remission assessed by family members (52%) and patients (43%). Only in 18%, patients, relatives and psychiatrists agreed in their assessments. Good subjective well-being was most important for remission estimated by patients, good subjective well-being and symptom reduction by family members, and finally better symptom scores, well-being and functioning by psychiatrists.

DISCUSSION

Self- and expert-rated clinical outcomes differ markedly, with a preference on the patients' side for subjective outcome. Symptomatic remission as assessed by the standardized criteria plays a secondary role for patients and relatives in daily clinical practice. A more thorough consideration of patients' and caregivers' perspectives should supplement the experts' assessment.

Subjective well-being in schizophrenia as measured with the Subjective Well-Being under Neuroleptic Treatment scale: a review

OBJECTIVE

The Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic Treatment scale (SWN) is the most widely used self-rating scale in recent research of subjective well-being in schizophrenia. We reviewed all available publications on relevant research of subjective well-being using the SWN, in order to evaluate measurement of subjective well-being with a single instrument.

METHOD

A MEDLINE and Embase search was performed for studies published between January 1994 and August 2010, analysing controlled and open clinical trials using the SWN.

RESULTS

A total of 52 publications were identified covering 44 studies. Strong evidence exists for improvement of subjective well-being during treatment. Atypical antipsychotics are associated with a higher level of well-being. However, dosage is more important than the kind of medication. Striatal dopamine D(2) receptor occupancy is correlated with subjective well-being. Early positive response of subjective well-being is predictive of a better outcome. Research on determinants of subjective well-being is rapidly expanding, focusing mostly on the effects of medication.

CONCLUSIONS

Subjective well-being of schizophrenia patients is a valuable outcome measure. It can be improved by optimizing antipsychotic treatment. More research on psychological and genetic predictors of subjective well-being is needed.

Is it possible to assess subjective well-being among bipolar inpatients? An 18-week follow-up study

OBJECTIVE

The study evaluates the association between subjective well-being and psychopathology in bipolar inpatients at the time of hospitalization and during a follow-up period.

METHOD

One hundred twenty consecutive inpatients with a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder were studied on admission (T0), at discharge (T1) and every 6 weeks for 18 weeks after hospitalization. The Young's Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) were used to determine affective symptoms, while subjective well-being was assessed by subjective well-being under neuroleptic (SWN). Associations between SWN and HAM-D or YMRS scores and between their changes were analyzed across the different time points by using Pearson correlation coefficients. Linear regression models were constructed using SWN as the dependent variable and demographic and clinical characteristics as possible predictors.

RESULTS

At baseline, depression explained 24% and mania explained an additional 16% of baseline SWN variance. Changes in SWN and HAM-D total score displayed an inverse correlation during hospitalization and follow-up. End point severity of depression was associated with the end point SWN total score explaining additional 26% of SWN total score variance, whereas severity of mania was inversely associated with SWN total score.

CONCLUSION

Data of this study provide further support for the need to consider the subjective well-being as a personal variable associated to psychopathological state in bipolar patients. However, results seem to be in line with authors who suggest to use other subjective quality of life scales in acute mania.

Relationship between subjective experiences and psychopathological dimensions in schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

Subjective experiences are subtle, self-experienced disturbances, a thorough description of which is provided within the framework of the concept of basic symptoms. Recent studies have shown that subjective experiences have important diagnostic implications for schizophrenia and related disorders. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between subjective experiences and psychopathological dimensions in schizophrenia.

METHOD

Sixty-seven outpatients with schizophrenia were evaluated. Subjective experiences were comprehensively assessed using the Frankfurt Complaint Questionnaire (FCQ). Symptoms of schizophrenia were evaluated using the Manchester Scale (MS). Pearson's partial correlation analysis was performed between the FCQ and the MS scores, controlling for the influence of extrapyramidal adverse effects.

RESULTS

The analysis revealed that the MS positive symptom score had significant positive correlations with the FCQ total score and subscales scores. The MS negative symptom score did not have significant correlations with the FCQ scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study suggest that subjective experiences are significantly associated with positive symptomatology in schizophrenia, suggesting that they may share a common underlying neural basis. Future prospective studies are necessary to confirm the stability of these relationships and to explore the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of subjective experiences in a diverse group of patients at different stages of illness.