Predictors of symptomatic remission in first-episode psychosis outpatients treated with quetiapine: a naturalistic study.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this naturalistic study was to assess course and predictors of symptomatic remission in outpatients with first-episode psychosis during quetiapine monotherapy.


METHODS
In 131 outpatients presenting with first-episode psychosis, socio-demographic and clinical variables including PANSS-8 and CGI-S scores were compared at baseline and follow-up between the subgroups with and without symptomatic remission during 12 weeks of flexible-dose treatment with quetiapine.


RESULTS
Logistic regression revealed a low degree of negative symptoms at baseline, younger age, shorter duration of psychotic episode, early treatment response, and the absence of concomitant diseases as predictors for symptomatic remission whereas general disease severity, PANSS-8 total score, gender, alcohol or substance abuse had no predictive value.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study underlines the predictive value of early treatment response and a low degree of negative symptoms in outpatients with first-episode psychosis. It also confirms the usability of the symptomatic remission criterion as a cross-sectional threshold criterion in clinical practice.