Family history in patients with schizophrenia and depressive symptoms

Depressive symptoms are common in schizophrenia and they can occur during any phase of the disorder. Some authors report an association between depression in schizophrenic patients and a positive family history of depression.

The aim of this study was to evaluate depressive symptoms in schizophrenic patients and to compare their family history with that in patients with depressive disorder.

The examined group consisted of 50 patients with schizophrenic disorder, both inpatients and outpatients treated at the University Psychiatry Clinic who had prominent depressive symptoms (total score>7 on 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale). The control group consisted of 50 patients with depressive disorder. Differential diagnosis was established on the basis of ICD-10 diagnostic criteria. Patients were evaluated with PANSS, 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and a questionnaire for demographic and clinical data.

The clinical depression seen in patients with schizophrenia differed significantly from that in patients with depressive disorder. Depressive symptomatology was significantly more frequently reported in a family history of schizophrenic patients with depressive symptoms than in patients with depressive disorder.

Schizophrenic patients with prominent depressive symptoms have significantly more frequently a positive family history of depression compared to patients with depressive disorder.