Outcome in RDC schizo-affective depression: the importance of diagnostic subtyping

A 2-year semiannual follow-up of 40 patients with RDC schizo-affective disorder, depressed type revealed poorer outcomes among those who were subtyped as chronic or mainly schizophrenic patients than among their counterparts with nonchronic or mainly affective schizo-affective depression. Outcomes for these latter groups, in turn, were no worse than those for patients with psychotic major depression. Among a variety of predictors entered into step-wise regression analyses, diagnosis was most important in predicting recovery overall and outcome at 6 months, while demographic variables, particularly sex, predicted outcome at 2 years.