[Transient delusional disorders and schizophrenia. Comparative catamnestic study of 2 groups of patients]

The authors investigated, in 1982, the situation of two groups of patients who had spent at least 8 days in the Psychiatric Clinic of the Strasbourg University Hospital in 1972, one group of whom had been diagnosed as suffering from "bouffée délirante aiguë" (B.D.A.), and another, from schizophrenia. In 1982, the former consisted of 43 people, 26 women and 17 men, and the latter of 72, 24 women and 48 men. The catamnesis was elaborated on the basis of social security files and information provided by physicians. All possible precautions were taken to protect professional secrecy and patients' anonymity. The data collected were subjectived to statistical analysis to establish correlations between certain variables and, on the basis of these variables, the traditional French classification was compared with that of the D.S.M. III. The outcome of patients suffering from B.D.A. was significantly better than those considered as schizophrenics. However, in 11 out of 26 patients with a B.D.A. diagnosis in 1972, there was an evolution towards schizophrenia, whereas 10 of the 44 schizophrenics displayed no handicap 10 years later. As regards the comparison between the prognostic values of the traditional French classification and D.S.M. III, the latter appeared more restrictive as to the diagnosis of schizophrenia with perhaps a clearer prognostic value. This catamnistic study further reinforces the arguments in favour of the existence of the B.D.A. as a clinical category. Further in-depth research in the genetic, biological and psychopathological fields should yield answers to the many questions still remaining.