The authors surveyed pharmacotherapy in a group of hospitalized 18 to 35-year-old young adult patients (N = 286) with a DSM-III diagnosis of schizophrenia. Drug use comparisons were made between patients with a 180 day or less hospitalization (short-stay, N = 226) and those with a 366+ day hospitalization (long-stay, N = 60). Psychotropic drug usage during the initial 180 and most-recent 180 days of treatment of the long-stay group was compared with the total episode of the short-stay group. Antiepileptic, antidepressant, lithium and anxiolytic/sedative/hypnotic agents, were used in significantly more of the long-stay than short-stay patients. This increase was not observed between the two groups for the initial 180 days of the long-stay group but was observed during the most recent 180 days of treatment. Antipsychotic mean daily doses and patterns of use in the two length of stay groups were similar. Chlorpromazine (CPZ) dosage was significantly increased in long-stay patients compared with short-stay patients (P less than .05).

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The consistency of DSM-III-R delusional disorder in a first-admission sample.

The temporal consistency of the research diagnosis of DSM-III-R delusional disorder was assessed. Subsequent to their first psychiatric hospitalization, psychotic patients were diagnosed twice using a best-estimate procedure after 6- and 24-month follow-up. Only 57.1% of the 7 subjects diagnosed at the 6-month follow-up conference retained the diagnosis at the 24-month review. Conversely, 50.0% of the 8 subjects given this diagnosis at 24 months had different 6-month diagnoses. By contrast, 100% of a matched control group maintained the same diagnosis at both time points. Course and outcome in this sample varied considerably, with 2 of the subjects making severe suicide attempts. Longitudinal assessment in psychotic patients in their first episode is mandatory, and an initial diagnosis of delusional disorder has to be interpreted as provisional.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Health and mental health care of the 1980s.

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Delivery of Health Care↗