An empirical method to identify patterns in the course of psychotic episodes of people with schizophrenia

作者：Burti Lorenzo^*; Mazzi Mariangela; Koeter Maarten; Schene Aart; Helm Hedda; Puschner Bernd; Bindman Jonathan; Leese Morven; Thornicroft Graham; Tansella Michele

来源：International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 2009, 18(4): 265-278.

DOI：10.1002/mpr.287

• schizophrenia
• clinical course
• factor analysis
• cluster analysis

Objective: This paper illustrates the process of constructing, selecting and applying simple measures in order to empirically derive patterns of course of psychotic episodes in schizophrenia.
Method: Data were collected with a composite instrument constructed for a multi-centre, follow-up randomized controlled trial of adherence therapy for people with schizophrenia. The instrument included a retrospective weekly assessment of psychotic/non-psychotic status, which was used to derive the measures, and the DSM-IV course specifiers.
Results: The measures discriminated well between different course patterns and identified homogeneous Clusters of subjects which correlated with the groups derived from the DSM-IV Course specifiers.
Conclusions: The new measures provide an empirical basis to identify specific patterns of course and to differentiate patients according to pre-defined criteria. They can be used in follow-up Studies as measures of outcome, to investigate correlations between variables and to identify potential predictors of Outcome.

• 出版日期2009-12