A systematic literature review identifying associations between outcomes and quality of life (QoL) or healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in schizophrenia

The effect of exercise on global, social, daily living and occupational functioning in people living with schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Schizophrenia is associated with high rates of global, social and occupational functional impairments. While prior meta-analyses have extensively examined the impact of exercise on physical and mental health, the impact on functioning in schizophrenia have yet to be fully established. This review aimed to update the evidence base regarding the impact of exercise on functioning in schizophrenia, and explore moderators of effect.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise evaluating global functioning versus any comparator in people with schizophrenia; between group meta-analyses of global functioning (and secondary - social, living skills, occupational, adverse events) were computed using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses based on diagnosis and aspects of the intervention were conducted.

RESULTS

18 full text articles were included, involving 734 participants. A moderate impact of exercise on global functioning was found (g = 0.40, 95 % C·I. = 0.12 to 0.69, p = 0.006), with a moderate impact of exercise on social (N = 5, g = 0.54 95 % C.I = 0.16 to 0.9 p = 0.005), and daily living functioning (N = 3, g = 0.65, 95 % C.I. = 0.07 to 1.22, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

There is good evidence that exercise can improve the global functioning of people with schizophrenia, with preliminary evidence for social and daily living skills; exercise should be considered an important adjunct to usual care. Higher impacts on global functioning were seen in aerobic interventions and of at least moderate to vigorous intensity. More research is required into resistance training, in early psychosis cohorts and to evaluate the comparison of exercise with other established psychosocial therapies.

Evidence of discontinuity between psychosis-risk and non-clinical samples in the neuroanatomical correlates of social function

Objective

Social dysfunction is a major feature of clinical-high-risk states for psychosis (CHR-P). Prior research has identified a neuroanatomical pattern associated with impaired social function outcome in CHR-P. The aim of the current study was to test whether social dysfunction in CHR-P is neurobiologically distinct or in a continuum with the lower end of the normal distribution of individual differences in social functioning.

Methods

We used a machine learning classifier to test for the presence of a previously validated brain structural pattern associated with impaired social outcome in CHR-P (CHR-outcome-neurosignature) in the neuroimaging profiles of individuals from two non-clinical samples (total n = 1763) and examined its association with social function, psychopathology and cognition.

Results

Although the CHR-outcome-neurosignature could be detected in a subset of the non-clinical samples, it was not associated was adverse social outcomes or higher psychopathology levels. However, participants whose neuroanatomical profiles were highly aligned with the CHR-outcome-neurosignature manifested subtle disadvantage in fluid (P_FDR = 0.004) and crystallized intelligence (P_FDR = 0.01), cognitive flexibility (P_FDR = 0.02), inhibitory control (P_FDR = 0.01), working memory (P_FDR = 0.0005), and processing speed (P_FDR = 0.04).

Conclusions

We provide evidence of divergence in brain structural underpinnings of social dysfunction derived from a psychosis-risk enriched population when applied to non-clinical samples. This approach appears promising in identifying brain mechanisms bound to psychosis through comparisons of patient populations to non-clinical samples with the same neuroanatomical profiles.

Point-in-time survey of healthcare resource utilization, employment, quality of life and caregiver status by disease severity in patients with schizophrenia in the US

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this survey was to assess patient outcomes and caregiver status by disease severity among patients with schizophrenia in the United States.

METHODS

A point-in-time survey was conducted between July and October 2019 via the Adelphi Schizophrenia Disease Specific Programme. Psychiatrists reported on their next 10 eligible patients with schizophrenia including demographics, disease severity, treatment history and hospitalizations. Patients receiving treatment for schizophrenia were classified as mild, moderate or severe based on disease severity. Regression models adjusted for age, sex and race/ethnicity.

RESULTS

Psychiatrists (n = 124) reported on 435 mild, 401 moderate and 247 severe patients. Greater severity of schizophrenia was associated with a greater number of hospitalizations related to schizophrenia relapse in the previous 12 months (moderate vs. mild: adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) [95% CI] = 2.17 [1.60-2.94]; severe vs. mild: aIRR = 5.45 [3.59-8.27]), lower full-time employment (moderate vs. mild: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.15 [0.08-0.28]; severe vs. mild: aOR = 0.02 [0.002-0.12]) and greater unemployment due to disability (moderate vs. mild: aOR = 4.24 [3.02-5.97]; severe vs. mild: aOR = 10.85 [6.85-17.17]). Patients with severe vs. mild schizophrenia had lower average quality of life (QoL) measured by the EuroQoL 5-dimension Health Index (difference = -0.16 [-0.23-0.09]). Among patients requiring care, patients with severe vs. mild schizophrenia received more caregiver hours per week (aIRR = 1.89 [1.25-2.84]).

CONCLUSIONS

Greater severity of schizophrenia was associated with a significantly greater number of hospitalizations and greater unemployment due to disability. Compared with mild schizophrenia, severe schizophrenia was associated with worse patient QoL and greater caregiver hours.

Health care resource utilization in the management of patients with Arginase 1 Deficiency in the US: a retrospective, observational, claims database study

BACKGROUND

Arginase 1 Deficiency (ARG1-D) is an inherited metabolic disease that leads to significant morbidity.

AIMS

Despite the recognized burden of disease, information on health care resource utilization (HCRU) among patients with ARG1-D is lacking. We, therefore, sought to evaluate HCRU in ARG1-D relative to non-ARG1-D cohort.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with ≥2 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for ARG1-D were identified (first diagnosis code = index date) using professional fee claims linked with prescription claims. Patients with ARG1-D were matched 1:1 to a comparator cohort of patients with other medical conditions. Matching variables included age, sex, index year, payer type (Medicare, Medicaid, third party) and geographic region.

RESULTS

A total of 77 patients met the inclusion criteria for the ARG1-D cohort, with a median age of 15 years, 52% <18 years, and 52% male. Several concurrent diagnoses were recorded at a higher frequency in the ARG1-D cohort versus the matched comparator (spasticity 7 times higher; developmental delay ∼2 times higher; intellectual disability 5 times higher; and seizures 8 times higher). Emergency room visits occurred twice as often, laboratory tests were performed 1.5 times more often, hospitalization was required 3 times more often, and mean length of stay was longer for patients with ARG1-D than the comparator cohort (2.4 days vs. 0.3 days).

LIMITATIONS

A relatively short study period while the burden of ARG1-D increases over a lifetime due to disease progression.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with ARG1-D had significantly greater HCRU compared with those without the disease; they presented with a more extensive comorbidity profile, accessed the health care system more frequently, required more intense monitoring and management, and had more frequent and longer hospitalizations relative to the comparator group. These findings demonstrate a high health burden in ARG1-D that is not mitigated by standard-of-care measures and emphasize the need for improved treatment options.

The role of social relatedness and self-beliefs in social functioning in first-episode psychosis: Are we overestimating the contribution of illness-related factors?

Objective

Numerous research studies have demonstrated an association between higher symptom severity and cognitive impairment with poorer social functioning in first-episode psychosis (FEP). By contrast, the influence of subjective experiences, such as social relatedness and self-beliefs, has received less attention. Consequently, a cohesive understanding of how these variables interact to influence social functioning is lacking.

Method

We used structural equation modeling to examine the direct and indirect relationships among neurocognition (processing speed) and social cognition, symptoms, and social relatedness (perceived social support and loneliness) and self-beliefs (self-efficacy and self-esteem) in 170 individuals with FEP.

Results

The final model yielded an acceptable model fit (χ² = 45.48, comparative fit index = 0.96; goodness of fit index = 0.94; Tucker–Lewis index = 0.94; root mean square error of approximation = 0.06) and explained 45% of social functioning. Negative symptoms, social relatedness, and self-beliefs exerted a direct effect on social functioning. Social relatedness partially mediated the impact of social cognition and negative symptoms on social functioning. Self-beliefs also mediated the relationship between social relatedness and social functioning.

Conclusions

The observed associations highlight the potential value of targeting social relatedness and self-beliefs to improve functional outcomes in FEP. Explanatory models of social functioning in FEP not accounting for social relatedness and self-beliefs might be overestimating the effect of the illness-related factors.

A modelling approach to estimate the prevalence of treatment-resistant schizophrenia in the United States

INTRODUCTION

Schizophrenia is a condition that places a significant burden on individuals with the condition, their family, and society. A large proportion of those treated for schizophrenia do not experience treatment response and are referred to as having "treatment-resistant schizophrenia" (TRS). Expert opinion has long held that the prevalence of TRS among individuals with schizophrenia is 30%, but the basis of this estimate is unclear. This article presents a model developed for estimating the prevalence of TRS in the United States 2014.

METHODS

An incidence-prevalence-mortality model was developed to estimate the prevalence of TRS in the United States. The model was populated with data from public health agencies and published literature. Prevalence in 2014 was modelled using a Markov cohort simulation for each birth cohort between 1930 to 2014.

RESULTS

Using different scenarios for baseline incidence, relative risks of mortality, it was estimated that approximately 22% of individuals with schizophrenia would be considered treatment-resistant in 2014.

DISCUSSION

The results suggests that prevalence of TRS may be somewhat lower than the 30% often reported, however this is highly dependent on the definition of treatment resistance. Methods such as this may help answer epidemiological and health policy questions as well as test the influence of key underlying assumptions.