Long-term follow-up of paranoid psychoses

Approximately 200 out of 301 first-admitted hospitalized patients with paranoid psychoses earlier studied by Retterstøl are still alive. These subjects are at present being interviewed semistructurally by the author, making a total follow-up period of 22-37 years after index admission. Before the interviews, diagnoses at discharge and at previous follow-ups based upon the records are established. Different diagnostic procedures are used. Preliminary results from the first 125 interviews indicate a small change to the worse as to psychopathology during the last 20 years. Outcome in DSM-III schizophreniform disorder, RDC schizoaffective disorders, Kendler's delusional disorders and ICD-9 reactive psychoses differs distinctly from the less favorable outcome in DSM-III schizophrenia.