Predictors of remission, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder in adolescents with brief psychotic disorder or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified considered at very high risk for schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine predictors of diagnostic and symptomatic outcome in adolescents with either psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (PsyNOS) or brief psychotic disorder (BrPsy) followed in a schizophrenia prodromal program.

METHODS: As part of a naturalistic study of adolescents considered at clinical high risk for schizophrenia, 26 youths (mean age, 15.9 +/- 2.6 years, 65.4% male) with psychosis not fulfilling criteria for schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder and diagnosed with PsyNOS or BrPsy were evaluated for predictors of diagnostic and symptomatic outcome after at least 6 (mean, 22.8 +/- 19.4) months follow up.

RESULTS: Progression to schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychotic bipolar disorder (n = 10, 38.5%) was predicted by fulfilling criteria for schizotypal personality disorder at baseline (p = 0.046). Development of schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder (n = 7, 27.0%) was associated with worse executive functioning (p = 0.029) and absence of anxiety disorders (p = 0.027). Conversely, progression to bipolar disorder (n = 4, 15.4%), with (n = 3, 11.5%) or without (n = 1, 3.8%) psychosis, was associated with the presence of anxiety disorders (p = 0.014). Remission of all psychotic as well as attenuated positive or negative symptoms (n = 5, 19.4%) was predicted by Hispanic ethnicity (p = 0.0047), an initial diagnosis of BrPsy (p = 0.014), longer duration of antidepressant treatment (p = 0.035), and better attention at baseline (p = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS: Results from this preliminary study suggest that patients with PsyNOS, BrPsy, or schizotypal personality disorder features in adolescence should be followed as separate risk groups in prodromal studies of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Executive function deficits and absence of anxiety disorders may be risk markers for schizophrenia, while presence of anxiety disorders may be linked to bipolar disorder risk. After achieving full remission, patients with sudden onset of psychosis and brief episodes could once be given the option of careful, supervised treatment discontinuation. The potential salutary effect of antidepressants during the psychotic prodrome and presence of characteristics differentiating patients at risk for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder should be investigated further.