Yung A R, Phillips L J, McGorry P D, McFarlane C A, Francey S, Harrigan S, Patton G C, Jackson H J
Centre for Young People's Mental Health, Victoria, Australia.
Br J Psychiatry Suppl. 1998;172(33):14-20.
The identification of people at high risk of becoming psychotic within the near future creates opportunities for early intervention prior to the onset of psychosis to prevent or minimise later ill-health. The present study combines current knowledge about risk factors for schizophrenia with our knowledge of psychotic prodromes in an attempt to identify a group particularly vulnerable to impending psychosis. We wanted to identify people with high likelihood of transition to psychosis within a follow-up period of 12 months, and to determine the rate of transition to psychosis in this group.
Various state and trait risk factors for psychosis were used alone and in combination to operationally define a putatively high-risk group. Operationalised criteria for onset of psychosis were established. The individuals were assessed monthly on measures of psychopathology for six months.
Eight out of 20 people made the transition to frank psychosis within a six-month follow-up period. Follow-up of this group is still in progress, and the 12 month transition rate might prove to be higher still.
We have demonstrated that it is possible to identify individuals with a high likelihood of onset of psychosis within a brief follow-up period. This lays the foundation for early treatment in an attempt to prevent, delay or minimise the severity of first onset of schizophrenia.
识别在不久的将来有患精神病高风险的人群，为在精神病发作前进行早期干预以预防或尽量减少后期健康问题创造了机会。本研究将目前关于精神分裂症风险因素的知识与我们对精神病前驱症状的了解相结合，试图确定一组特别容易患即将发生的精神病的人群。我们想识别在12个月随访期内有高概率转变为精神病的人群，并确定该组人群转变为精神病的比率。
单独或组合使用各种精神病的状态和特质风险因素，以操作性地定义一个假定的高风险组。建立了精神病发作的操作性标准。对个体进行为期六个月的每月一次的精神病理学测量评估。
20人中有8人在六个月的随访期内转变为明显的精神病。该组的随访仍在进行中，12个月的转变率可能会更高。
我们已经证明，在短时间的随访期内识别出有高概率发生精神病的个体是可能的。这为早期治疗奠定了基础，试图预防、延迟或尽量减少精神分裂症首次发作的严重程度。
