Exploring depression in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A cross-sectional analysis of the clinical relationship with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale dimensions.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence on the relationship between depression and clinical dimensions of schizophrenia remains limited. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between depression and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) dimensions in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. METHODS: Trained assessors administered the PANSS to measure symptoms of schizophrenia and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia to measure depression. The association of depression with overall PANSS score and related dimensions was investigated in multiple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: We included 231 inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (mean age: 42.4 (SD: 12.9) years; men: 58.9%; mean overall PANSS score: 82.5 (SD: 20.1); drug-free or naïve: 39.3%), including 78 (33.8%) with clinically significant depressive symptoms. Depression was associated with higher overall (regression coefficient, SE: 0.029, 0.008; p < 0.001) and general psychopathology (regression coefficient, SE: 0.118, 0.023; p < 0.001) PANSS scores. We found an inverse relationship between depression and positive symptoms (regression coefficient, SE: -0.088, 0.028; p = 0.002). No association between depression and negative symptoms was found. CONCLUSION: Despite some limitations, our study shows that people affected by schizophrenia spectrum disorders with depression are likely to show more overall and general psychopathology symptoms but lower positive symptoms. Additional studies are needed to explore the generalizability of our findings.

Exploring depression in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a cross-sectional analysis of the clinical relationship with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale dimensions

Objective: Evidence on the relationship between depression and clinical dimensions of schizophrenia remains limited. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between depression and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) dimensions in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Methods: Trained assessors administered the PANSS to measure symptoms of schizophrenia and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia to measure depression. The association of depression with overall PANSS score and related dimensions was investigated in multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: We included 231 inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (mean age: 42.4 (SD: 12.9) years; men: 58.9%; mean overall PANSS score: 82.5 (SD: 20.1); drug-free or naïve: 39.3%), including 78 (33.8%) with clinically significant depressive symptoms. Depression was associated with higher overall (regression coefficient, SE: 0.029, 0.008; p < 0.001) and general psychopathology (regression coefficient, SE: 0.118, 0.023; p < 0.001) PANSS scores. We found an inverse relationship between depression and positive symptoms (regression coefficient, SE: -0.088, 0.028; p = 0.002). No association between depression and negative symptoms was found. Conclusion: Despite some limitations, our study shows that people affected by schizophrenia spectrum disorders with depression are likely to show more overall and general psychopathology symptoms but lower positive symptoms. Additional studies are needed to explore the generalizability of our findings.

Increased Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Antidepressants Users: A Mini Review.

Mounting evidence has shown that the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is substantially overlapping in the diagnostic subgroups of psychiatric disorders. While it is widely acknowledged that patients receiving antipsychotic medications are at higher risk of MetS than antipsychotic-naive ones, the association between antidepressants and MetS is still debated. The goal of our mini review was to analyse the relationship among depressive symptoms, antidepressant use and the occurrence of MetS. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, we searched MEDLINE, reference lists and journals, using the following search string: ((("Mental Disorders"[Mesh]) AND "Metabolic Syndrome"[Mesh]) AND "Antidepressive Agents"[Mesh]), and retrieved 36 records. Two reviewers independently assessed records and the mini review eventually included the data extracted from 8 studies. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the selected studies. Overall, the results of the mini review seem to support the association among depressive symptoms, antidepressants therapy and MetS. Except for H1-R high-affinity ones, the relationship between antidepressants and MetS still needs to be clarified. Considering the widespread prescription of antidepressants, both on behalf of psychiatrists and primary care physicians, further research on this topic is recommended.