Predictive factors and symptom severity spectrum in adult schizophrenia: Potential insights for improved management and adequate care

Iliuta,Floris Petru; Manea,Mihnea Costin; Teodorescu,Andreea; Lacau,Radu-Mihail; Manea,Mirela; Mares,Aliss Madalina; Varlam,Corina Ioana; Ciobanu,Constantin Alexandru; Ciobanu,Adela Magdalena

doi:10.3892/br.2024.1820

Predictive factors and symptom severity spectrum in adult schizophrenia: Potential insights for improved management and adequate care

Authors:
- Floris Petru Iliuta
- Mihnea Costin Manea
- Andreea Teodorescu
- Radu-Mihail Lacau
- Mirela Manea
- Aliss Madalina Mares
- Corina Ioana Varlam
- Constantin Alexandru Ciobanu
- Adela Magdalena Ciobanu
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Affiliations: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 010221, Romania, Faculty of Medicine, Transilvania University of Brasov, Brasov 500019, Romania, Department of Psychiatry, ‘Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia’ Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, Bucharest 041914, Romania, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy ‘Carol Davila’, Bucharest 050474, Romania, Department of Neurosciences, Discipline of Psychiatry, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania
Published online on: July 16, 2024 https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2024.1820
Article Number: 132
Copyright: © Iliuta et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling psychiatric disorders characterized by positive (hallucinations, delusions, formal thinking disorder) and negative symptoms (anhedonia, lack of speech and motivation). The present study aimed to identify the predictive factors of schizophrenia in adults, and potential differences in the environment of origin, sex, levels of occupational stress, intellectual level, marital status and age of onset of the disease depending on the severity of symptoms using analysis of data collected from 120 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The study was conducted at the ‘Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia’ Clinical Psychiatric Hospital in Bucharest and included adult patients hospitalized between March 2018 and January 2021 diagnosed with schizophrenia and evaluated by general clinical examination, psychiatric, neurological and psychological evaluation. Results revealed that robust predictors of mild and moderate symptoms were affective symptoms, heredo‑collateral history of schizophrenia, late onset, the presence of positive and negative symptoms, substance abuse, stress and marital status, unmarried, lower IQ and mental deficiency. For moderate‑severe and severe symptoms, predictors were affective symptoms, heredo‑collateral history of schizophrenia and affective disorders, substance abuse, stress, borderline IQ and mild mental deficiency. The present results can be used for further development of psychopharmacological management of schizophrenia.

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