Clinical evolution of patients with schizophrenia associated with addictive disorders

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of schizophrenia in the general population is about 0.3% -0.7% Pathological use of substances such as cocaine, alcohol, amphetamines and nicotine is common in schizophrenia with a lifetime prevalence of 80%. [1,2]. They tend to isolate themselves in an inner world, thus being prone to substance abuse. [3] The most commonly used substances are: alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, hallucinogens and cannabis. [4]

 Method: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive-analytical study on a group of 139 patients with a positive diagnosis of schizophrenia from the Psychiatry Clinic I of the Mureș County Clinical Hospital hospitalized between 01.01.2018-31.12.2019. The clinical and paraclinical data used were processed from observation sheets in the clinic archive. These were introduced and analyzed in the Microsoft Excell 2016 program, and the statistical test used was Chi Square in the Graph-Pad statistical analysis program.

Results: Most patients with schizophrenia have a schizoid (41%) and paranoid (32%) personality. Other types are: organic 25% (unstable and impulsive) and obsessive anxiety 2%. Due to the evolution of diseases, patients end up consuming psychoactive substances, tobacco and alcohol. A percentage of 48% of patients consume tobacco, 37% consume alcohol and 15% consume psychoactive substances, tobacco use is not a statistically significant factor in the recurrence of the disease.

            Conclusions: Alcohol, tobacco and psychoactive substances are an important risk factor in the unfavorable evolution of the disease, most hospitalized patients are in the age group 50-59 years.