Patterns of course in patients with a cross-sectional diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder

The authors conducted a longitudinal study on two samples of patients, fulfilling Research Diagnostic Criteria for schizoaffective disorder and for major affective disorder, respectively. The long-term course in patients defined cross-sectionally as schizoaffective was very heterogeneous. Ten different patterns of course were identified. In schizoaffectives showing a bipolar course with the occurrence of pure affective episodes, the outcome was not different from that in patients with a cross-sectional diagnosis of major affective disorder, whereas in schizoaffectives whose course was characterized by the occurrence of schizodepressive episodes only, or of schizodepressive and schizophrenic episodes, the outcome was significantly poorer than in patients diagnosed as affective.