Impact of the first Covid-19 pandemic wave on first episode psychosis in Milan, italy.
Psychiatry Res
; 298: 113802, 2021 04.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1078137
ABSTRACT
The ongoing Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic appears to increase risk for mental illness, either directly due to inflammation caused by the virus or indirectly due to related psychosocial stress, resulting in the development of both anxious-depressive and psychotic symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to assess the frequency and characteristics of all patients with First Episodes Psychosis (FEP) without COVID-19 infection hospitalized in the first four months since lockdown in Milan. We recruited sixty-two patients hospitalized between March 8 to July 8, 2020 versus those first hospitalized in the same period in 2019. The two subgroups were compared for sociodemographic variables and clinical characteristics of the episodes. Patients with FEP in 2020 were significantly older than patients with FEP in 2021, and presented with significantly less substances abuse. Interestingly, patients presenting with FEP in 2020 were significantly older than patients with FEP in 2019. These data are compatible with the greater vulnerability to stressful factors during the pandemic, as well as with the greater concern regarding a possible COVID-19 infection producing brain damage causing the FEP.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Psychotic Disorders
/
Communicable Disease Control
/
COVID-19
/
Hospitalization
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Psychiatry Res
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.psychres.2021.113802
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