[The relationship between quality of life of schizophrenic patients and clinical parameters of psychosis].

The aim of this study was an analysis of relationship between the quality of life of schizophrenic patients and clinical parameters (positive symptoms, negative symptoms, symptoms of depression, time from start of treatment, total time of all hospitalizations). The research was carried out on 120 in- and out-patients (from 19 to 65 years of age) who fulfilled ICD-10 and DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia. They were in a stable state of improvement during actual treatment. The following instruments were used: Quality of Life Scale--QLS (Heinrich et al., 1984), Calgary Depression Scale--CDS (Addington et al., 1990), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale--BPRS (Overall, Gorham, 1962)--short form to assess positive symptoms, Brief Negative Symptoms Assessment--BNS. The basic statistical method used was correlation analysis between measurable variables with Pearson's index (P). In investigated group the quality of life correlates essentially with negative symptoms (P = -0.838), positive symptoms (P = -0.350), total time of all hospitalizations (P = -0.371), but there is not correlation between the quality of life and symptoms of depression and time from start of schizophrenia treatment. This study shows that the improvement of quality of life of schizophrenic patients is possible by effective treatment mainly negative symptoms, also positive symptoms and shortening of hospitalizations. It seems that QLS is less sensitive to changes in symptoms of depression.