Patient outcomes in schizophrenia II: the impact of cognition

• Published in: European psychiatry Vol. 20; no. 5; pp. 395 - 402
• Main Authors: Hofer, Alex, Baumgartner, Susanne, Bodner, Thomas, Edlinger, Monika, Hummer, Martina, Kemmler, Georg, Rettenbacher, Maria A., Fleischhacker, W. Wolfgang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier SAS 01-08-2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; Benzodiazepines - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Clozapine - therapeutic use; Cognition; Cognition - physiology; Cognition Disorders - diagnosis; Cognition Disorders - epidemiology; Cognition Disorders - psychology; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Employment; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Memory Disorders - complications; Memory Disorders - diagnosis; Memory Disorders - psychology; Needs; Neuropharmacology; Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data; Olanzapine; Outcome; Outpatients - psychology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Predictive Value of Tests; Psycholeptics: tranquillizer, neuroleptic; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Schizophrenia - epidemiology; Schizophrenic Psychology; Treatment Outcome; Schizophrenia; Cognition; Employment; Outcome; Needs; Quality of life; Occupational adjustment; Atypical antipsychotic; Olanzapine; Neuroleptic; Psychotropic; Cognitive ability; Social adjustment; Serotonine receptor; Psychosis; Cross sectional study; Adult; Antagonist; Human; Dopamine receptor; Dopamine antagonist; Serotonin antagonist; Treatment efficiency; Clozapine; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Young adult; Predictive factor; Neuropsychologia; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0924-9338; 1778-3585
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2005.02.006

Background. –
Cognitive dysfunction is increasingly considered to be the strongest clinical predictor of poor long-term outcome in schizophrenia. Associations have been found between the severity of cognitive deficits and social dysfunction, impairments in independent living, occupational limitations, and disturbances in quality of life (QOL).
Methods. –
In this cross-sectional study, the relationships of cognitive deficits and treatment outcomes in terms of QOL, needs, and psychosocial functioning were examined in 60 outpatients with schizophrenia who had a duration of illness over 2 years and had been treated with either clozapine or olanzapine for at least 6 months.
Results. –
The present study suggests that cognitive functioning might be a predictor of work functioning/independent living outcome in stabilized patients with schizophrenia: deficits of visual memory and working memory were negatively associated with occupational functioning, and older patients lived independently and/or in a stable partnership more often. The patients' assessments of QOL and needs for care did not show any significant associations with cognitive functioning.
Discussion. –
These findings suggest that cognitive functioning is a key determinant of work functioning/independent living for stable outpatients with schizophrenia.