Predicting psychosis: Meta-analysis of transition outcomes in individuals at high clinical risk

Context: A substantial proportion of people at clinical high risk of psychosis will develop a psychotic disorder over time. However, the risk of transition to psychosis varies between centers, and some recent work suggests that the risk of transition may be declining. Objective: To quantitatively examine the literature to date reporting the transition risk to psychosis in subjects at clinical high risk. Data Sources: The electronic databases were searched until January 2011. All studies reporting transition risks in patients at clinical high risk were retrieved. Study Selection: Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 2502 patients. Data Extraction: Transition risks, as well as demographic, clinical, and methodologic variables, were extracted from each publication or obtained directly from its authors. Data Synthesis: There was a consistent transition risk, independent of the psychometric instruments used, of 18% after 6 months of follow-up, 22% after 1 year, 29% after 2 years, and 36% after 3 years. Significant moderators accounting for heterogeneity across studies and influencing the transition risks were the age of participants, publication year, treatments received, and diagnostic criteria used. There was no publication bias, and a sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the core findings. Conclusions: The state of clinical high risk is associated with a very high risk of developing psychosis within the first 3 years of clinical presentation, and the risk progressively increases across this period. The transition risk varies with the age of the patient, the nature of the treatment provided, and the way the syndrome and transition to psychosis are defined. ©2012 American Medical Association. All rights reserved

Cognitive functioning in prodromal psychosis: A meta-analysis

Context: A substantial proportion of people at clinical high risk (HR) of psychosis will develop a psychotic disorder over time. Cognitive deficits may predate the onset of psychosis and may be useful as markers of increased vulnerability to illness. Objective: To quantitatively examine the cognitive functioning in subjects at HR in the literature to date. Data Sources: Electronic databases were searched until January 2011. All studies reporting cognitive performance in HR subjects were retrieved. Study Selection: Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 1188 HR subjects and 1029 controls. Data Extraction: Neurocognitive functioning and social cognition as well as demographic, clinical, and methodological variables were extracted from each publication or obtained directly from its authors. Data Synthesis: Subjects at HR were impaired relative to controls on tests of general intelligence, executive function, verbal and visual memory, verbal fluency, attention and working memory, and social cognition. Processing speed domain was also affected, although the difference was not statistically significant. Later transition to psychosis was associated with even more marked deficits in the verbal fluency and memory domains. The studies included reported relatively homogeneous findings. There was no publication bias and a sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the core results. Conclusions: The HR state for psychosis is associated with significant and widespread impairments in neuro-cognitive functioning and social cognition. Subsequent transition to psychosis is particularly associated with deficits in verbal fluency and memory functioning

Whither the attenuated psychosis syndrome?

Whither the attenuated psychosis syndrome

Validation of the Collaborative Outcomes study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times (COH-FIT) questionnaire for adults

Background: The Collaborative Outcome study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times (COH-FIT; www.coh-fit.com) is an anonymous and global online survey measuring health and functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to test concurrently the validity of COH-FIT items and the internal validity of the co-primary outcome, a composite psychopathology “P-score”. Methods: The COH-FIT survey has been translated into 30 languages (two blind forward-translations, consensus, one independent English back-translation, final harmonization). To measure mental health, 1–4 items (“COH-FIT items”) were extracted from validated questionnaires (e.g. Patient Health Questionnaire 9). COH-FIT items measured anxiety, depressive, post-traumatic, obsessive-compulsive, bipolar and psychotic symptoms, as well as stress, sleep and concentration. COH-FIT Items which correlated r ≥ 0.5 with validated companion questionnaires, were initially retained. A P-score factor structure was then identified from these items using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) on data split into training and validation sets. Consistency of results across languages, gender and age was assessed. Results: From >150,000 adult responses by May 6th, 2022, a subset of 22,456 completed both COH-FIT items and validated questionnaires. Concurrent validity was consistently demonstrated across different languages for COH-FIT items. CFA confirmed EFA results of five first-order factors (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic, psychotic, psychophysiologic symptoms) and revealed a single second-order factor P-score, with high internal reliability (ω = 0.95). Factor structure was consistent across age and sex. Conclusions: COH-FIT is a valid instrument to globally measure mental health during infection times. The P-score is a valid measure of multidimensional mental health