Predictors of remission and recovery in a first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorder sample: 2-year follow-up of the OPUS trial.

Objective: To examine the frequency and predictors of good outcome for patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD).

Method: We conducted a 2-year follow-up of a cohort of patients (n = 547) with first-episode SSD. We evaluated the patients on demographic variables, diagnosis, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), premorbid functioning, psychotic and negative symptoms, substance abuse, adherence to medication, and service use. ORs were calculated with logistic regression analyses.

Results: A total of 369 patients (67%) participated in the follow-up interview. After 2 years, 36% remitted and 17% were considered fully recovered. Full recovery was associated with shorter DUP, better premorbid adjustment, fewer negative symptoms at baseline, no substance abuse at baseline, and adherence to medication and OPUS treatment.

Conclusions: Several predictive factors were identified, and focus should be on potentially malleable predictors of outcome, for example, reducing DUP and paying special attention to patients who are unlikely to achieve good outcome, for example, patients with a substance abuse problem and poor premorbid adjustment.