Higher required dosage of antipsychotics to relieve the symptoms of first-onset Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder (ATPD) predicted the subsequent diagnostic transition to schizophrenia: A longitudinal study

Combined Predictors for the Diagnostic Transition from Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder to Schizophrenia: A Retrospective Study

Purpose

Acute and transient psychotic disorder (ATPD), a psychosis frequently diagnosed, can potentially evolve into chronic conditions like schizophrenia (SCZ) and other mental disorders. This study aimed to develop a predictive model based on clinical data to forecast the transition from ATPD to SCZ and to identify the predictive factors.

Methods

According to the diagnostic criteria issued by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10), 396 inpatients diagnosed with ATPD were collected in this study. The Cox proportional-hazards regression model was performed using demographic data, clinical characteristics, and inflammatory markers to identify independent predictors for subsequent diagnostic transition (SDT) to SCZ.

Results

During the follow-up period, 43.69% (n = 173) of ATPD patients had their diagnoses revised to SCZ. The multivariate Cox regression analysis identified post-treatment monocyte count, post-treatment monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and the presence of schizophreniform symptoms as significant predictors for the diagnostic revision. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (TimeROC) analyses were developed. The AUC value at the 5-year follow-up was 0.728 for combined predictors, 0.702 for post-treatment monocyte count, 0.764 for post-treatment MLR, and 0.535 for the presence of schizophreniform symptoms.

Conclusion

The combined predictors had good predictive ability for the diagnostic transition from acute and transient psychotic disorder to schizophrenia.

The predictive validity and outcome of ICD-10 and DSM-5 short-lived psychotic disorders: a review and meta-analysis

The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders introduced the category of 'acute and transient psychotic disorders' (ATPDs) encompassing polymorphic, schizophrenic and predominantly delusional subtypes, and the forthcoming ICD-11 revision has restricted it to polymorphic psychotic disorder, while the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) listed 'brief psychotic disorder' (BPD). To assess the predictive validity and outcome of ATPDs and BPD, relevant papers in English, French and German were searched in PubMed and Web of Science. Where possible meta-analysis of prognostic validators (diagnostic stability, course, outcome and response to treatment) was conducted. Fifty studies published between January 1993 and July 2019 were found. The clinical and functional outcome of ATPDs proved better than in schizophrenia and related disorders, but mortality risk is high, particularly suicide, and treatment trials provide little evidence. Meta-analysis of 25 studies (13,507 cases) revealed that 55% (95% CI 49-62) do not change diagnosis, 25% (95% CI 20-31) converted into schizophrenia and related disorders, and 12% (95% CI 7-16) into affective disorders on average over 6.3 years. Subgroup meta-analysis estimated prospective consistency of polymorphic psychotic disorder (55%; 95% CI 52-58) significantly greater than that of the ATPD subtypes with schizophrenic (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.4-2.0) and predominantly delusional (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.5) symptoms. Moreover, the diagnostic stability of BPD (13 studies; 294 cases) was 45% (95% CI 32-50) over a mean 4.2 years. Although these findings indicate that short-lived psychotic disorders have little predictive validity, significant differences among the ATPD subtypes support the revised ICD-11 ATPD category.

Post COVID-19 Infection Psychosis: Could SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infection Be a Neuropsychiatric Condition That Triggers Psychotic Disorders? - A Case-Based Short Review

Corona virus (COVID-19) is an epidemy of respiratory disease caused by a novel corona virus and it was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be a global health pandemic emergency. Due to the neuropsychiatric manifestation of Covid-19 that have been associated with psychotic disorders, in this paper we choose to present a case from “Elena Doamna” Psychiatric Hospital from Galati, Romania and to correlate it with other cases from literature in a mini review presentation. In our paper, we present the case of a patient of 44-year-old men, with no past psychiatric history whose behavior included psycho-motor agitation, perception and thinking disorders, disorganized behaviour, attempted suicide by stabbing. The last perspectives from the two years of pandemic together with psychiatric disease linked the virus infections with psychosis to the main concern that Covid-19 could determine psychiatric disorders. There were also presented same literature studies of patients with no personal pathological history in the psychiatric field which developed psychiatric disorders after COVID-19 infection. SARS-CoV-2 has a psychological impact on the mental health status of the worldwide and, especially when it is associated with psychotic symptoms and can affect the quality-of-life. In some cases, the virus affected the brain and as a result, the psychosis symptoms could be an emerging phenomenon associated with the corona virus. Based on the DSM V and ICD-10 criteria, the diagnosis was of acute psychiatric disorders with symptoms of schizophrenia (F23.1). The case report and review reliefs that there is a causal link between the SARS CoV-2 infection and mental disorders, which is currently being investigated.

Clinical characterization of brief psychotic disorders triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic: a multicenter observational study

This study aimed to characterize the clinical profile of patients with brief psychotic disorders (BPD) triggered by the psychosocial distress derived from the COVID-19 crisis. A multicenter study was conducted from March 14 to May 14, 2020 (the peak weeks of the pandemic in Europe). All consecutive patients presenting non-affective psychotic episodes with a duration of untreated psychosis of less than 1 month and whose onset was related to the COVID-19 crisis were recruited, but only those patients meeting Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5th edition (DSM-5) criteria for "BPD with marked stressors" (DSM-5 code: 298.8) during follow-up were finally included. Patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected at baseline and summarized with descriptive statistics. During the study period, 57 individuals with short-lived psychotic episodes related to the emotional stress of the COVID-19 pandemic were identified, of whom 33 met DSM-5 criteria for "BPD with marked stressors". The mean age was 42.33 ± 14.04 years, the gender distribution was almost the same, and the majority were rated as having good premorbid adjustment. About a quarter of the patients exhibited suicidal symptoms and almost half presented first-rank schizophrenia symptoms. None of them were COVID-19 positive, but in more than half of the cases, the topic of their psychotic features was COVID-19-related. The coronavirus pandemic is triggering a significant number of BPD cases. Their risk of suicidal behavior, their high relapse rate, and their low temporal stability make it necessary to closely monitor these patients over time.

Diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of brief psychotic episodes: a review and research agenda

Brief psychotic episodes represent an intriguing paradox in clinical psychiatry because they elude the standard knowledge that applies to the persisting psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. This Review describes key diagnostic considerations such as conceptual foundations, current psychiatric classification versus research-based operationalisations, epidemiology, and sociocultural variations; prognostic aspects including the risk of psychosis recurrence, types of psychotic recurrences, other clinical outcomes, prognostic factors; and therapeutic issues such as treatment guidelines and unmet need of care. The advances and challenges associated with the scientific evidence are used to set a research agenda in this area. We conclude that brief psychotic episodes can be reconceptualised within a clinical staging model to promote innovative translational research and improve our understanding and treatment of psychotic disorders.

Timing of antipsychotics and benzodiazepine initiation during a first episode of psychosis impacts clinical outcomes: Electronic health record cohort study

The impact of timing of antipsychotics and benzodiazepine treatment during a first episode of psychosis on clinical outcomes is unknown. We present a RECORD-compliant electronic health record cohort study including patients (n = 4,483, aged 14-35) with a primary diagnosis of any non-organic ICD-10 first episode of psychosis at SLAM-NHS between 2007 and 2017. The impact of antipsychotic timing (prescription > 1 week after a first episode of psychosis) was assessed on the primary outcome (risk of any psychiatric inpatient admission over 6 years), and secondary outcomes (cumulative duration of any psychiatric/medical/accident/emergency [A&E] admission over 6 years). The impact of prescribing benzodiazepine before antipsychotic at any point and of treatment patterns (antipsychotic alone, benzodiazepine alone, combination of antipsychotic with benzodiazepine) within the first week after a first episode of psychosis were also assessed. Survival analyses and zero-inflated negative binomial regressions, adjusted for core covariates, and complementary analyses were employed. Antipsychotic prescribed >1 week after a first episode of psychosis did not affect the risk of any psychiatric admission (HR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.92-1.17, p = 0.557), but increased the duration of any psychiatric (22-28%), medical (78-35%) and A&E (30-34%) admission (months 12-72). Prescribing benzodiazepine before antipsychotic at any point did not affect the risk of any psychiatric admission (HR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.94-1.13, p = 0.535), but reduced the duration of any psychiatric admission (17-24%, months 12-72), and increased the duration of medical (71-45%, months 12-72) and A&E (26-18%, months 12-36) admission. Prescribing antipsychotic combined with benzodiazepine within the first week after a first episode of psychosis showed better overall clinical outcomes than antipsychotic or benzodiazepine alone. Overall, delaying antipsychotic 1 week after a first episode of psychosis may worsen some clinical outcomes. Early benzodiazepine treatment can be considered with concomitant antipsychotic but not as standalone intervention.

Predictors of diagnostic stability in brief psychotic disorders: Findings from a 3-year longitudinal study

INTRODUCTION

Brief psychotic disorder (BPD) is a relatively uncommon and underexplored psychotic condition. Even though BPD has been related to a more favorable outcome than other schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), current knowledge of its predictive factors remains scant. This study aimed to examine its prevalence and find early predictors of BPD diagnostic stability.

METHODS

SSD diagnosis following Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria was explored in a large epidemiological cohort (n = 569) of non-affective first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients enrolled in a three-year longitudinal intervention program (PAFIP). Premorbid, sociodemographic, and clinical information was collected to characterize BPD patients and determine factors predictive of diagnostic stability. Multivariate analysis included predictors selected from clinical knowledge and also those that had achieved marginal significance (p ≤ 0.1) in univariate analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 59 patients enrolled in the PAFIP program (10.4% of the whole cohort) met DSM-IV criteria for BPD, of whom 40 completed the three-year follow-up. The temporal stability of BPD in our sample was as high as 40% (n = 16). Transition from BPD to schizophrenia occurred in 37% (n = 15) of patients. Fewer hallucinations at baseline and better insight independently significantly predicted BPD diagnostic stability over time.

CONCLUSION

Our findings confirm that BPD is a clinical condition with moderate-to-low temporal stability and demonstrate that approximately two-thirds of FEP individuals experiencing BPD will develop a long-lasting psychotic disorder during follow-up, mainly schizophrenia.

Clinical outcomes in brief psychotic episodes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

Patients with brief psychotic episodes (BPE) have variable and fluctuating clinical outcomes which challenge psychiatric care. Our meta-analysis aims at providing a comprehensive summary of several clinical outcomes in this patient group.

METHODS

A multistep systematic PRISMA/MOOSE-compliant literature search was performed for articles published from inception until 1st March 2021. Web of Science database was searched, complemented by manual search of original articles reporting relevant outcomes (psychotic recurrence, prospective diagnostic change or stability, remission, quality of life, functional status, mortality and their predictors) for patients diagnosed with acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPD), brief psychotic disorders (BPD), brief intermittent psychotic symptoms (BIPS) and brief limited intermittent psychotic symptoms (BLIPS). Random-effects methods and Q-statistics were employed, quality assessment with Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, assessment of heterogeneity with I2 index, sensitivity analyses (acute polymorphic psychotic disorders, APPD) and multiple meta-regressions, assessment of publication bias with funnel plot, Egger's test and meta-regression (psychotic recurrence and sample size).

RESULTS

A total of 91 independent articles (n = 94 samples) encompassed 37 ATPD, 24 BPD, 19 BLIPS and 14 BIPS samples, totalling 15 729 individuals (mean age: 30.89 ± 7.33 years, mean female ratio: 60%, 59% conducted in Europe). Meta-analytical risk of psychotic recurrence for all BPE increased from 15% (95% confidence interval (CI) 12-18) at 6 months, 25% (95% CI 22-30) at 12 months, 30% (95% CI 27-33) at 24 months and 33% (95% CI 30-37) at ⩾36 months follow-up, with no differences between ATPD, BPD, BLIPS and BIPS after 2 years of follow-up. Across all BPE, meta-analytical proportion of prospective diagnostic stability (average follow-up 47 months) was 49% (95% CI 42-56); meta-analytical proportion of diagnostic change (average follow-up 47 months) to schizophrenia spectrum psychoses was 19% (95% CI 16-23), affective spectrum psychoses 5% (95% CI 3-7), other psychotic disorders 7% (95% CI 5-9) and other (non-psychotic) mental disorders 14% (95% CI 11-17). Prospective diagnostic change within APPD without symptoms of schizophrenia was 34% (95% CI 24-46) at a mean follow-up of 51 months: 18% (95% CI 11-30) for schizophrenia spectrum psychoses and 17% (95% CI 10-26) for other (non-psychotic) mental disorders. Meta-analytical proportion of baseline employment was 48% (95% CI 38-58), whereas there were not enough data to explore the other outcomes. Heterogeneity was high; female ratio and study quality were negatively and positively associated with risk of psychotic recurrence, respectively. There were no consistent factor predicting clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Short-lived psychotic episodes are associated with a high risk of psychotic recurrences, in particular schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Other clinical outcomes remain relatively underinvestigated. There are no consistent prognostic/predictive factors.

Predictors of diagnostic stability in acute and transient psychotic disorders: validation of previous findings and implications for ICD-11

Acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPD) have moderate prospective diagnostic stability. Female gender, older age at onset, good premorbid adjustment, abrupt onset, shifting polymorphic symptomatology and absence of schizophrenic features have been found to be predictive factors of diagnostic stability in ATPDs. Nevertheless, most of these findings need to be replicated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic stability of patients with ATPD, and to determine whether previously accepted predictors of diagnostic stability for ATPD could be externally validated in our cohort. To that end, a prospective 2-year observational study was conducted on patients with first-episode ATPD. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine factors associated with ATPD diagnostic stability at the end of the follow-up period. The following prior knowledge variables were analyzed: female gender, older age at onset, good premorbid adjustment, abrupt onset, shifting polymorphic symptomatology and absence of schizophrenic features. Sixty-eight patients with first-episode ATPD completed the follow-up, of whom 55.9% (n = 38) retained their diagnosis of ATPD at the end of the study. Multivariate analysis revealed that diagnostic stability was independently significantly associated with the presence of shifting polymorphic symptomatology (OR = 7.42, 95% CI 1.65-33.30; p = 0.009) and the absence of schizophrenic features (OR = 6.37, 95% CI 1.47-27.54; p = 0.013) at the onset of the psychotic disorder. Our findings provide empirical support for the ICD-11 proposal restricting the new ATPD category to the acute polymorphic disorder without schizophrenia symptoms.

Reactive psychoses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Clinical perspectives from a case series

Introduction

The world is currently undergoing an extremely stressful scenario due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This unexpected and dramatic situation could increase the incidence of mental health problems, among them, psychotic disorders. The aim of this paper was to describe a case series of brief reactive psychosis due to the psychological distress from the current coronavirus pandemic.

Materials and methods

We report on a case series including all the patients with reactive psychoses in the context of the COVID-19 crisis who were admitted to the Virgen del Rocío and Virgen Macarena University Hospitals (Seville, Spain) during the first two weeks of compulsory nationwide quarantine.

Results

In that short period, four patients met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria for a brief reactive psychotic disorder. All of the episodes were directly triggered by stress derived from the COVID-19 pandemic and half of the patients presented severe suicidal behavior at admission.

Conclusions

We may now be witnessing an increasing number of brief reactive psychotic disorders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This type of psychosis has a high risk of suicidal behavior and, although short-lived, has a high rate of psychotic recurrence and low diagnostic stability over time. Therefore, we advocate close monitoring in both the acute phase and long-term follow-up of these patients.

The prognostic role of catatonia, hallucinations, and symptoms of schizophrenia in acute and transient psychosis

OBJECTIVES

To examine the prospective temporal stability of acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPDs) and analyze whether there are clinical, psychopathological, or sociodemographic characteristics that predict ATPD diagnostic stability.

METHOD

We conducted a prospective, 2-year, observational study of patients presenting a first-episode ATPD. A multivariate logistic regression model was developed to identify independent variables associated with ATPD diagnostic stability. Well-established predictive factors of diagnostic stability, as well as all the psychopathological features included in the ICD-10 Diagnostic Criteria for Research (DCR) descriptions of ATPD, were analyzed.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight patients with a first episode of ATPD completed the study with a diagnostic stability rate as high as 55.9% (n = 38) at the end of the follow-up period. Multivariate analysis revealed that diagnostic stability was independently significantly associated with the baseline presence of motility disturbances (OR = 6.86, 95% CI = 1.10-42.62; P = 0.039), the absence of hallucinations (OR = 5.75, 95% CI = 1.51-21.98; P = 0.010), and the absence of schizophrenic features (OR = 7.13, 95% CI = 1.38-36.90; P = 0.019).

CONCLUSION

A symptom checklist assessing these psychopathological features would enable early identification of those subjects whose initial ATPD diagnosis will remain stable over time.

Risk and associated factors for a future schizophrenia diagnosis after an index diagnosis of unspecified psychotic disorder: A population-based study

A significant minority of unspecified psychosis presentations progress to schizophrenia. Clinical risk factors can inform targeted referral to specialized treatment programs, but few population studies have examined this. In this study, we used health administrative data for a population-based cohort from Manitoba, Canada to characterize the risk and identify vulnerable subgroups for a future diagnosis of schizophrenia after a diagnosis of unspecified psychotic disorder. Individuals aged 13-60 years with an inpatient or outpatient diagnosis of unspecified psychotic disorder between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2012, and without any prior diagnosis of schizophrenia or related disorder, were identified (N = 3, 289). The primary outcome was a diagnosis of schizophrenia recorded after the index diagnosis of unspecified psychotic disorder and before March 31, 2015. Adjusted hazard ratios were computed controlling for age, sex, urbanicity, income, prior diagnosis of unspecified psychotic disorder, provider making the diagnosis, prior 12-month psychiatric hospitalization, and prior 12-month diagnoses of mood, anxiety, substance use, or personality disorders, and substance-induced psychosis. A classification tree identified vulnerable subgroups. The cumulative risk of a future diagnosis of schizophrenia was 26% during the follow-up period (mean 4.5 years), with a mean time to diagnosis of 2.0 years. The most vulnerable subgroup was diagnosed by a psychiatrist, younger than 27 years, without a mood or anxiety disorder, male, and residing in a low-income neighborhood; the rate of a subsequent schizophrenia diagnosis was 61.2%. These results support that identification of specific sociodemographic and clinical factors can help clinicians counsel and intervene with those at highest risk.

Acute Polymorphic Psychotic Disorder: Concepts, Empirical Findings, and Challenges for ICD-11

The ICD-11 International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems will move toward a narrower concept of "acute and transient psychotic disorders" (ATPD) characterized by the remnant "polymorphic psychotic disorder" (APPD) of the current ICD-10 category, also including schizophrenic and predominantly delusional subtypes. To assess the validity of APPD, relevant articles published between January 1993 and September 2017 were found through searches in PubMed and Web of Science. APPD is a rare mental disorder and affects significantly more women than men in early-middle adulthood. Its diagnostic reliability is relatively low, and its consistency reaches just 53.8% on average over 8.8 years, but is significantly greater than either of ATPD subtypes, which are more likely to progress to schizophrenia and related disorders. Although APPD has distinctive features and higher predictive power, its rarity and the fleeting and polymorphic nature of its symptoms could reduce its usefulness in clinical practice and discourage research.

Long term outcomes of acute and transient psychotic disorders: The missed opportunity of preventive interventions

BACKGROUND

Acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPD) are characterized by an acute onset and a remitting course, and overlap with subgroups of the clinical high-risk state for psychosis. The long-term course and outcomes of ATPD are not completely clear.

METHODS

Electronic health record-based retrospective cohort study, including all patients who received a first index diagnosis of ATPD (F23, ICD-10) within the South London and Maudsley (SLaM) National Health Service Trust, between 1 st April 2006 and 15th June 2017. The primary outcome was risk of developing persistent psychotic disorders, defined as the development of any ICD-10 diagnoses of non-organic psychotic disorders. Cumulative risk of psychosis onset was estimated through Kaplan-Meier failure functions (non-competing risks) and Greenwood confidence intervals.

RESULTS

A total of 3074 patients receiving a first index diagnosis of ATPD (F23, ICD-10) within SLaM were included. The mean follow-up was 1495 days. After 8-year, 1883 cases (61.26%) retained the index diagnosis of ATPD; the remaining developed psychosis. The cumulative incidence (Kaplan-Meier failure function) of risk of developing any ICD-10 non-organic psychotic disorder was 16.10% at 1-year (95%CI 14.83-17.47%), 28.41% at 2-year (95%CI 26.80-30.09%), 33.96% at 3-year (95% CI 32.25-35.75%), 36.85% at 4-year (95%CI 35.07-38.69%), 40.99% at 5-year (95% CI 39.12-42.92%), 42.58% at 6-year (95%CI 40.67-44.55%), 44.65% at 7-year (95% CI 42.66-46.69%), and 46.25% at 8-year (95% CI 44.17-48.37%). The cumulative risk of schizophrenia-spectrum disorder at 8-year was 36.14% (95% CI 34.09-38.27%).

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with ATPD have a very high risk of developing persistent psychotic disorders and may benefit from early detection and preventive treatments to improve their outcomes.