CLEAR - clozapine in early psychosis: study protocol for a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial of clozapine vs other antipsychotics for young people with treatment resistant schizophrenia in real world settings

BACKGROUND

Clozapine is an antipsychotic drug with unique efficacy, and it is the only recommended treatment for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS: failure to respond to at least two different antipsychotics). However, clozapine is also associated with a range of adverse effects which restrict its use, including blood dyscrasias, for which haematological monitoring is required. As treatment resistance is recognised earlier in the illness, the question of whether clozapine should be prescribed in children and young people is increasingly important. However, most research to date has been in older, chronic patients, and evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of clozapine in people under age 25 is lacking. The CLEAR (CLozapine in EARly psychosis) trial will assess whether clozapine is more effective than treatment as usual (TAU), at the level of clinical symptoms, patient rated outcomes, quality of life and cost-effectiveness in people below 25 years of age. Additionally, a nested biomarker study will investigate the mechanisms of action of clozapine compared to TAU.

METHODS AND DESIGN

This is the protocol of a multi-centre, open label, blind-rated, randomised controlled effectiveness trial of clozapine vs TAU (any other oral antipsychotic monotherapy licenced in the British National Formulary) for 12 weeks in 260 children and young people with TRS (12-24 years old).

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The primary outcome is the change in blind-rated Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores at 12 weeks from baseline. Secondary outcomes include blind-rated Clinical Global Impression, patient-rated outcomes, quality of life, adverse effects, and treatment adherence. Patients will be followed up for 12 months and will be invited to give consent for longer term follow-up using clinical records and potential re-contact for further research. For mechanism of action, change in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers and peripheral inflammatory markers will be measured over 12 weeks.

DISCUSSION

The CLEAR trial will contribute knowledge on clozapine effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness compared to standard antipsychotics in young people with TRS, and the results may guide future clinical treatment recommendation for early psychosis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN Number: 37176025, IRAS Number: 1004947.

TRIAL STATUS

In set-up. Protocol version 4.0 01/08/23. Current up to date protocol available here: https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR131175# /.

Multiorgan MRI findings after hospitalisation with COVID-19 in the UK (C-MORE): a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study

INTRODUCTION

The multiorgan impact of moderate to severe coronavirus infections in the post-acute phase is still poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities after hospitalisation with COVID-19, evaluate their determinants, and explore associations with patient-related outcome measures.

METHODS

In a prospective, UK-wide, multicentre MRI follow-up study (C-MORE), adults (aged ≥18 years) discharged from hospital following COVID-19 who were included in Tier 2 of the Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID) and contemporary controls with no evidence of previous COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibody negative) underwent multiorgan MRI (lungs, heart, brain, liver, and kidneys) with quantitative and qualitative assessment of images and clinical adjudication when relevant. Individuals with end-stage renal failure or contraindications to MRI were excluded. Participants also underwent detailed recording of symptoms, and physiological and biochemical tests. The primary outcome was the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities (two or more organs) relative to controls, with further adjustments for potential confounders. The C-MORE study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04510025.

FINDINGS

Of 2710 participants in Tier 2 of PHOSP-COVID, 531 were recruited across 13 UK-wide C-MORE sites. After exclusions, 259 C-MORE patients (mean age 57 years [SD 12]; 158 [61%] male and 101 [39%] female) who were discharged from hospital with PCR-confirmed or clinically diagnosed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and Nov 1, 2021, and 52 non-COVID-19 controls from the community (mean age 49 years [SD 14]; 30 [58%] male and 22 [42%] female) were included in the analysis. Patients were assessed at a median of 5·0 months (IQR 4·2-6·3) after hospital discharge. Compared with non-COVID-19 controls, patients were older, living with more obesity, and had more comorbidities. Multiorgan abnormalities on MRI were more frequent in patients than in controls (157 [61%] of 259 vs 14 [27%] of 52; p<0·0001) and independently associated with COVID-19 status (odds ratio [OR] 2·9 [95% CI 1·5-5·8]; padjusted=0·0023) after adjusting for relevant confounders. Compared with controls, patients were more likely to have MRI evidence of lung abnormalities (p=0·0001; parenchymal abnormalities), brain abnormalities (p<0·0001; more white matter hyperintensities and regional brain volume reduction), and kidney abnormalities (p=0·014; lower medullary T1 and loss of corticomedullary differentiation), whereas cardiac and liver MRI abnormalities were similar between patients and controls. Patients with multiorgan abnormalities were older (difference in mean age 7 years [95% CI 4-10]; mean age of 59·8 years [SD 11·7] with multiorgan abnormalities vs mean age of 52·8 years [11·9] without multiorgan abnormalities; p<0·0001), more likely to have three or more comorbidities (OR 2·47 [1·32-4·82]; padjusted=0·0059), and more likely to have a more severe acute infection (acute CRP >5mg/L, OR 3·55 [1·23-11·88]; padjusted=0·025) than those without multiorgan abnormalities. Presence of lung MRI abnormalities was associated with a two-fold higher risk of chest tightness, and multiorgan MRI abnormalities were associated with severe and very severe persistent physical and mental health impairment (PHOSP-COVID symptom clusters) after hospitalisation.

INTERPRETATION

After hospitalisation for COVID-19, people are at risk of multiorgan abnormalities in the medium term. Our findings emphasise the need for proactive multidisciplinary care pathways, with the potential for imaging to guide surveillance frequency and therapeutic stratification.

FUNDING

UK Research and Innovation and National Institute for Health Research.

Clinical characteristics with inflammation profiling of long COVID and association with 1-year recovery following hospitalisation in the UK: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

No effective pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions exist for patients with long COVID. We aimed to describe recovery 1 year after hospital discharge for COVID-19, identify factors associated with patient-perceived recovery, and identify potential therapeutic targets by describing the underlying inflammatory profiles of the previously described recovery clusters at 5 months after hospital discharge.

METHODS

The Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID) is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study recruiting adults (aged ≥18 years) discharged from hospital with COVID-19 across the UK. Recovery was assessed using patient-reported outcome measures, physical performance, and organ function at 5 months and 1 year after hospital discharge, and stratified by both patient-perceived recovery and recovery cluster. Hierarchical logistic regression modelling was performed for patient-perceived recovery at 1 year. Cluster analysis was done using the clustering large applications k-medoids approach using clinical outcomes at 5 months. Inflammatory protein profiling was analysed from plasma at the 5-month visit. This study is registered on the ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN10980107, and recruitment is ongoing.

FINDINGS

2320 participants discharged from hospital between March 7, 2020, and April 18, 2021, were assessed at 5 months after discharge and 807 (32·7%) participants completed both the 5-month and 1-year visits. 279 (35·6%) of these 807 patients were women and 505 (64·4%) were men, with a mean age of 58·7 (SD 12·5) years, and 224 (27·8%) had received invasive mechanical ventilation (WHO class 7-9). The proportion of patients reporting full recovery was unchanged between 5 months (501 [25·5%] of 1965) and 1 year (232 [28·9%] of 804). Factors associated with being less likely to report full recovery at 1 year were female sex (odds ratio 0·68 [95% CI 0·46-0·99]), obesity (0·50 [0·34-0·74]) and invasive mechanical ventilation (0·42 [0·23-0·76]). Cluster analysis (n=1636) corroborated the previously reported four clusters: very severe, severe, moderate with cognitive impairment, and mild, relating to the severity of physical health, mental health, and cognitive impairment at 5 months. We found increased inflammatory mediators of tissue damage and repair in both the very severe and the moderate with cognitive impairment clusters compared with the mild cluster, including IL-6 concentration, which was increased in both comparisons (n=626 participants). We found a substantial deficit in median EQ-5D-5L utility index from before COVID-19 (retrospective assessment; 0·88 [IQR 0·74-1·00]), at 5 months (0·74 [0·64-0·88]) to 1 year (0·75 [0·62-0·88]), with minimal improvements across all outcome measures at 1 year after discharge in the whole cohort and within each of the four clusters.

INTERPRETATION

The sequelae of a hospital admission with COVID-19 were substantial 1 year after discharge across a range of health domains, with the minority in our cohort feeling fully recovered. Patient-perceived health-related quality of life was reduced at 1 year compared with before hospital admission. Systematic inflammation and obesity are potential treatable traits that warrant further investigation in clinical trials.

FUNDING

UK Research and Innovation and National Institute for Health Research.

An International External Validation and Revision of the PsyMetRiC Cardiometabolic Risk Prediction Algorithm for Young People with Psychosis

Introduction

The comorbidity between cardiometabolic and psychotic disorders develops early. This is a crucial window of opportunity to reduce excess morbidity and mortality. Recently, a cardiometabolic risk prediction algorithm for young people with psychosis, the psychosis metabolic risk calculator (PsyMetRiC) was developed and externally validated in the UK. However, its international transportability is unknown.

Objectives

We performed the first international validation study of PsyMetRiC in Lausanne, Switzerland, and examined whether additional variables (clinical and/or genetic) may improve the predictive performance of the algorithm

Methods

We included people aged 16-35y with psychosis from the PsyMetab cohort, who did not have MetS at baseline, and who had 1-6y follow-up data. The PsyMetRiC partial (age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index, smoking status, and prescription of a metabolically-active antipsychotic) and full (also including high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides) algorithms were applied. Predictive performance was assessed using measures of discrimination (C-statistic) and calibration (calibration plots). Recalibration steps included refitting the intercept and/or slope if necessary. Additional variables (e.g. speed of weight gain, polygenic risk scores) were added to the model and predictive performance was reassessed.

Results

We included 545 participants. The discrimination performance of both PsyMetRiC algorithms was good (C>0.75), and calibration plots showed good agreement between observed and predicted risk. Additional analyses to be conducted.

Conclusions

PsyMetRiC is likely to be generalizable for use in Switzerland, suggesting that PsyMetRiC may also be suitable for use in other European populations. While additional international validations are required, these findings are an encouraging step toward an international cardiometabolic risk prediction algorithm for young people with psychosis.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Predicting treatment resistance in people with a first-episode of psychosis using commonly recorded clinical information

Introduction

23% of people experiencing a first episode of psychosis (FEP) develop treatment resistant schizophrenia (TRS). At present, there are no established methods to accurately identify who will develop TRS from baseline.

Objectives

In this study we used patient data from three UK early intervention services (EIS) to investigate the predictive potential of routinely recorded sociodemographic, lifestyle and biological data at FEP baseline for the risk of TRS up to six years later.

Methods

We developed two risk prediction algorithms to predict the risk of TRS at 2-8 years from FEP onset using commonly recorded information at baseline. Using the forced-entry method, we created a model including age, sex, ethnicity, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase levels and lymphocyte counts. We also produced a machine-learning-based model, including an additional four variables. The models were developed using data from two and externally validated in another UK psychosis EIS.

Results

The development samples included 785 patients, and 1,110 were included in the validation sample. The models discriminated TRS well at internal validation (forced-entry: C 0.70, 95%CI 0.63-0.76; LASSO: C 0.69, 95%CI 0.63-0.77). At external validation, discrimination performance attenuated (forced-entry: C 0.63, 0.58-0.69; LASSO: C 0.64, 0.58-0.69) but recovered for the forced entry model after recalibration and revision of the lymphocyte predictor (C: 0.67, 0.62-0.73).

Conclusions

The use of commonly recorded clinical information including biomarkers taken at FEP onset could help to predict TRS. These measures should be considered in future studies modelling psychiatric outcomes.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Reduced prefrontal activity and suicidal behaviour in early schizophrenia

Introduction

Approximately, 15- 26% of patients with first-episode psychosis, including schizophrenia, are likely to have attempted suicide by their first treatment contact. Studies of suicidal behavior outside of schizophrenia have indicated grey matter volume loss in the prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex, and aberrant brain activity in relation to emotional recognition and dysfunction.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the functional neural correlates of suicidal behavior in early schizophrenia.

Methods

fMRI faces task was conducted (fearful face versus neutral face) in 8 participants with first-episode schizophrenia together with standardised scales including PANSS and SBQ-R. fMRI activation was compared using a two-sample t-test in participants with low and high suicidal behavior. Extent threshold is 0 voxels and significance level p<0.001 (FWE corrected). Processing of images was carried out using SPM12 and Matlab.

Results

8 participants were recruited; 5 males and 3 females, mean age of 26.5. Results suggest that participants with higher suicidal behaviour showed reduced activation on the anterior-cingulate gyrus and medial frontal gyrus, which are parts of PFC, (p= .005). There was also a significant difference in task response accuracy, where, participants with high suicidal behaviour made more accurate responses compared to low group (t (3) = 3.65, p = .035).

Conclusions

This is an exploratory study, investigated the differences in brain activity in patients with schizophrenia who are at risk of completed suicide and, therefore might provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms. Further work should address how PFC activity changes with risk over time and its potential utility as a biomarker in suicide.

Cardiometabolic risk prediction algorithms for young people with psychosis: a systematic review and exploratory analysis

OBJECTIVE

Cardiometabolic risk prediction algorithms are common in clinical practice. Young people with psychosis are at high risk for developing cardiometabolic disorders. We aimed to examine whether existing cardiometabolic risk prediction algorithms are suitable for young people with psychosis.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and narrative synthesis of studies reporting the development and validation of cardiometabolic risk prediction algorithms for general or psychiatric populations. Furthermore, we used data from 505 participants with or at risk of psychosis at age 18 years in the ALSPAC birth cohort, to explore the performance of three algorithms (QDiabetes, QRISK3 and PRIMROSE) highlighted as potentially suitable. We repeated analyses after artificially increasing participant age to the mean age of the original algorithm studies to examine the impact of age on predictive performance.

RESULTS

We screened 7820 results, including 110 studies. All algorithms were developed in relatively older participants, and most were at high risk of bias. Three studies (QDiabetes, QRISK3 and PRIMROSE) featured psychiatric predictors. Age was more strongly weighted than other risk factors in each algorithm. In our exploratory analysis, calibration plots for all three algorithms implied a consistent systematic underprediction of cardiometabolic risk in the younger sample. After increasing participant age, calibration plots were markedly improved.

CONCLUSION

Existing cardiometabolic risk prediction algorithms cannot be recommended for young people with or at risk of psychosis. Existing algorithms may underpredict risk in young people, even in the face of other high-risk features. Recalibration of existing algorithms or a new tailored algorithm for the population is required.

Effect of age on the relative efficacy of clozapine in schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

Early treatment of schizophrenia improves outcomes. Clozapine appears to have unique benefit when other antipsychotic medication has failed. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess clozapine's superiority over alternative antipsychotic medication and examine whether earlier use is associated with additional benefit.

METHOD

Systematic retrieval of blinded, randomized controlled trials comparing clozapine with alternative antipsychotics in adults with schizophrenia. The effect of mean age on relative clozapine response was examined using random effects meta-regression, and multiple linear regression on available patient data.

RESULTS

A total of 276 studies were retrieved. Thirty-four studies were included in the meta-analysis. Clozapine was significantly more effective than alternative antipsychotics in reducing psychotic symptoms and increasing response. However, meta-regression failed to show a more significant effect in younger patients (age on effect size (total psychotic symptoms) 0.00, P = 0.79 CI -0.03 to 0.03). Individual patient data were available for two studies, the larger of which showed a significant interaction between younger age and superiority of clozapine.

CONCLUSION

The results support clozapine's superiority over other antipsychotics. A convincing effect of age on this effect was not demonstrated, although this was suggested in one study. In view of the age of many of the included studies, and changes in reporting practice over time, new clozapine RCTs, which include age of illness onset as well as age at trial time, would be welcome in order to provide meta-analysable data for future use.

19 Pro-inflammatory cytokines and childhood trauma in young people with emerging mental health difficulties

Objectives/aims

Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines are associated with a range of mental illnesses, and also with childhood trauma.1–4 Evidence suggests that inflammation occurring as a result of childhood trauma could play a role in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders.5 6 However, previous research does not account for confounders, including psychotropic medication and illness duration, that may affect inflammation levels.7 The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between childhood trauma exposure and levels of inflammation in young people with emerging mental health disorders with confounding factors removed.

Methods

10 patients, aged 16–25, with a range of psychiatric disorders and no history of psychotropic medication were recruited from Birmingham mental health services, along with 16 healthy controls. Childhood trauma exposure was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and blood samples were analysed for serum concentrations of pro- inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β.

Results

There was no significant difference in serum cytokines between patients and healthy controls, or those with and without childhood trauma (p>0.05). Post-hoc sample size calculations estimated 197 patients with and 197 without childhood trauma would be needed to detect a significant 2 pg/ml difference in cytokine levels (80% power, 5% significance). There was a weak positive, but non-significant, correlation between both cytokines and CTQ score in the patient group (rS=0.1–0.3, p>0.05). Multiple linear regression of CTQ score, sex and BMI found that none of these variables significantly predicted cytokine concentration in our population.

Conclusions

There is preliminary evidence of an association between childhood trauma and inflammation in patients with mental illness, but due to small sample size no definitive conclusions can be drawn from this data. Future research with a larger sample size and longitudinal approach would be beneficial in establishing whether a relationship exists independent of confounders.

References

Goldsmith DR, Rapaport MH, Miller BJ. A meta-analysis of blood cytokine network alterations in psychiatric patients: comparisons between schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. Mol Psychiatr. 2016; 21: 1696–1709.

Upthegrove R, Manzanares-Teson N, Barnes NM. Cytokine function in medication-naive first episode psychosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr. Res 2014; 155: 101–108.

Baumeister D, Akhtar R, Ciufolini S, Pariante CM, Mondelli V. Childhood trauma and adulthood inflammation: a meta-analysis of peripheral C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α. Mol Psychiatr 2016; 21: 642–649.

Danese A, Baldwin JR. Hidden wounds? Inflammatory links between childhood trauma and psychopathology. Annu Rev of Psychol 2017; 68: 517–544.

Upthegrove R, Barnes NM. The immune system and schizophrenia: an update for clinicians. BJPsych Adv 2014; 20: 83–91.

Miller AH, Maletic V, Raison CL. Inflammation and its discontents: the role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of major depression. Biol Psychiat 2009: 65; 732–741.

Danese A, Pariante CM, Caspi A, Taylor A, Poulton R. Childhood maltreatment predicts adult inflammation in a life-course study. P Natl Acad Sci USA 2007;104:1319–1324.

Insulin resistance and obesity, and their association with depression in relatively young people: findings from a large UK birth cohort

BACKGROUND

Depression frequently co-occurs with disorders of glucose and insulin homeostasis (DGIH) and obesity. Low-grade systemic inflammation and lifestyle factors in childhood may predispose to DGIH, obesity and depression. We aim to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations among DGIH, obesity and depression, and to examine the effect of demographics, lifestyle factors and antecedent low-grade inflammation on such associations in young people.

METHODS

Using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort, we used regression analyses to examine: (1) cross-sectional and (2) longitudinal associations between measures of DGIH [insulin resistance (IR); impaired glucose tolerance] and body mass index (BMI) at ages 9 and 18 years, and depression (depressive symptoms and depressive episode) at age 18 years and (3) whether sociodemographics, lifestyle factors or inflammation [interleukin-6 (IL-6) at age 9 years] confounded any such associations.

RESULTS

We included 3208 participants. At age 18 years, IR and BMI were positively associated with depression. These associations may be explained by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. There were no longitudinal associations between DGIH/BMI and depression, and adjustment for IL-6 and C-reactive protein did not attenuate associations between IR/BMI and depression; however, the longitudinal analyses may have been underpowered.

CONCLUSIONS

Young people with depression show evidence of DGIH and raised BMI, which may be related to sociodemographic and lifestyle effects such as deprivation, smoking, ethnicity and gender. In future, studies with larger samples are required to confirm this. Preventative strategies for the poorer physical health outcomes associated with depression should focus on malleable lifestyle factors.

The relationship between negative symptoms and depression in schizophrenia: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To provide an update on the evidence base for the nature of the relationship between negative symptoms and depressive features in people with schizophrenia, and propose new models that reflect their complex relationship.

METHOD

A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines. A total of 2210 articles were identified from EMBASE, PsychInfo and MEDLINE, and further two articles were hand-searched from references. Twenty-seven met inclusion criteria and were included in the review.

RESULTS

In schizophrenia, primary evidence suggests symptoms of low mood, suicidal ideation and pessimism have more specificity for depression whereas alogia and blunted affect may have more specificity as negative symptoms. Anhedonia, anergia and avolition may be common to both.

CONCLUSION

It may be possible to further distinguish depressive features from negative symptoms in schizophrenia when detailed phenomenology is considered. However, in a proposed dimensional model, these two domains continue to share certain phenomena, highlighting their close relationship.

The effect of structured consent on recall of information pre- and post-electroconvulsive therapy: a pilot study

Aims and method

A randomised, blind comparison of a structured consent procedure against routine consent was conducted to determine whether it had any utility in improving treatment knowledge In patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Additionally we aimed to determine whether degree of cognitive impairment intelligence and severity of depression influenced recall of information.

Results

Thirty-two subjects were investigated. Structured consent significantly improved the number of knowledge items recalled pre-ECT (P<0.05). Knowledge scores declined significantly after completion of the treatment course in both structured consent (P<0.05) and control groups (P<0.06). There was a significant correlation between Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores and the number of knowledge items recalled both pre- (r=0.43, P<0.05) and post-ECT (r=0.53, P<0.01).

Clinical implications

Structured consent procedures may be a useful way of improving patient knowledge of ECT and merit further study. Low scores on MMSE should caution clinicians to take particular care when consenting patients to ECT.

Auditory verbal hallucinations in first episode psychosis – an fMRI symptom capture study

Introduction

Neurobiological models of auditory verbal hallucination (AVH) have been advanced by symptom capture functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), where participants self-report hallucinations during scanning. To date, regions implicated are those involved with language, memory and emotion. However, previous studies focus on chronic schizophrenia, thus are limited by factors, such as medication use and illness duration. Studies also lack detailed phenomenological descriptions of AVHs. This study investigated the neural correlates of AVHs in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP) using symptom capture fMRI with a rich description of AVHs. We hypothesised that intrusive AVHs would be associated with dysfunctional salience network activity.

Methods

Sixteen FEP patients with frequent AVH completed four psychometrically validated tools to provide an objective measure of the nature of their AVHs. They then underwent fMRI symptom capture, utilising general linear models analysis to compare activity during AVH to the resting brain.

Results

Symptom capture of AVH was achieved in nine patients who reported intrusive, malevolent and uncontrollable AVHs. Significant activity in the right insula and superior temporal gyrus (cluster size 141 mm3), and the left parahippocampal and lingual gyri (cluster size 121 mm3), P < 0.05 FDR corrected, were recorded during the experience of AVHs.

Conclusions

These results suggest salience network dysfunction (in the right insula) together with memory and language processing area activation in intrusive, malevolent AVHs in FEP. This finding concurs with others from chronic schizophrenia, suggesting these processes are intrinsic to psychosis itself and not related to length of illness or prolonged exposure to antipsychotic medication.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Understanding auditory verbal hallucinations: a systematic review of current evidence

OBJECTIVE

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are core features of psychotic illness and remain significant in predicting poor outcome and risk. There has been a wide range of approaches to understanding these experiences.

METHOD

A systematic literature review summarizing different methods of investigation and their results; phenomenology, descriptive psychopathology, psychological, cognitive neurobiology, and neuroimaging.

RESULTS

A number of 764 papers and texts were screened and 113 reviewed. Phenomenological studies are comparably few in number, and psychopathology remains based on concepts defined in the early 20th century. Psychological models focus on voice content and emotional reaction, and suggest a continuum of AVHs from normal experience. Neuropsychological models include AVHs as misattribution of inner speech, whilst functional neuroimaging studies focus on the spontaneous activity and connectivity of auditory networks.

CONCLUSION

There has been a large growth in research on AVHs in recent decades dominated by neurobiological and neuroimaging studies. Future research should include focus on phenomenological aspects and AVHs change over the course of developing illness. Integration between branches of enquiry is needed, and the risk is that without this, models are proposed and investigated that bear scant relevance to the symptom itself.

the ‘schizophrenia Postdrome’: A Study of Low-level Positive Symptoms after Remission of First Episode Schizophrenia

Background:

Despite remission being the primary objective following the first episode of schizophrenia, clinically stabilised patients are rarely studied.

Aims:

To assess the extent and fluctuation of low-level positive symptoms in patients who are in remission following their first episode of schizophrenia, and consider whether symptoms displayed are similar to those exhibited in the prodromal population.

Methods:

Eleven patients who had recovered for at least six months following one episode of schizophrenia and subsequently fulfilled remission criteria were interviewed four times over the course of three months. Interviews were based on the Structured Interview of Prodromal Symptoms (SIPS), an in-depth assessment of low-level symptoms that is widely used in the prodromal group. Data was compared to equivalent results from the prodromal population (with data provided by the local ED:IT service).

Results:

Over the course of the interviews 73% of participants displayed attenuated positive symptoms, predominantly unusual thought content and suspiciousness. 18% experienced brief limited intermittent psychotic symptoms (BLIPS). Analysis with Friedman's test revealed no significant fluctuation in positive symptoms, indicating that they are stable over time. Furthermore, the symptoms exhibited in the sample were closely comparable to those in the prodromal group in the ED:IT service.

Conclusions:

The majority of patients in remission are experiencing a form of ‘postdrome’, which appears to be an enduring state. the presence of these symptoms may put patients at an increased risk of relapse. Larger-scale research is required to follow-up this novel preliminary study.

Declaration of interest:

None.