Duration of untreated psychosis predicts functional and clinical outcome in children and adolescents with first-episode psychosis: A 2-year longitudinal study

article i nfo Longer duration of untreated psychosis(DUP) inadult patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) has been asso- ciated with poor clinical and social outcomes. We aimed to estimate the influence of DUP on outcome at 2-year follow-up in subjects with an early-onset (less than 18 years of age) FEP of less than 6 months' duration. A total of 80 subjects (31.3% females, mean age 16.0 ± 1.8 years) were enrolled in the study. The influence of DUP on outcome was estimated using multiple regression models (two linear models for influence of DUP on the C- GAF at 2 years and C-GAF change through the follow-up period, and a logistic model for influence of DUP on 41 PANSS remission at 2 years in schizophrenia patients (n = 47)). Mean DUP was 65.3 ± 54.7 days. Median DUP was 49.5 days. For the whole sample (n = 80), DUP was the only variable significantly related to C-GAF score at 2-year follow-up (Beta = �0.13, p b 0.01), while DUP and premorbid adjustment (Beta = �0.01, p b 0.01; and Beta = �0.09, p = 0.04, respectively) were the only variables significantly related to C-GAF change. In schizophrenia patients, DUP predicted both C-GAF score at 2 years and C-GAF change, while in pa- tients with affective psychosis (n = 22), DUP was unrelated to outcome. Lower baseline C-GAF score (OR = 0.91, p b 0.01) and shorter DUP (OR = 0.98, p = b0.01) were the only variables that significantly pre- dicted clinical remission in schizophrenia patients. In conclusion, longer DUP was associated with lower C-GAF at 2 years, less increase in C-GAF, and lower rates of clinical remission in early-onset FEP. Our findings support the importance of early detection programs, which help shorten DUP.