First episode psychosis during the Covid-19 pandemic in Milan, Italy: Diagnostic outcomes at 1-year follow-up

C M Esposito; B Biagianti; A D'Agostino; B Dell'Osso; B Giordano; F Wiedenmann; M Macellaro; F Serio; N Turtulici; O Gambini; P Brambilla

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115068

First episode psychosis during the Covid-19 pandemic in Milan, Italy: Diagnostic outcomes at 1-year follow-up

Psychiatry Res. 2023 Mar:321:115068. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115068. Epub 2023 Jan 24.

Authors

C M Esposito¹, B Biagianti², A D'Agostino³, B Dell'Osso⁴, B Giordano⁵, F Wiedenmann³, M Macellaro⁶, F Serio³, N Turtulici⁷, O Gambini⁸, P Brambilla⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
² Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
³ Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Mental Health, San Paolo Hospital, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy.
⁴ Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'Luigi Sacco', University of Milan, Italy; CRC "Aldo Ravelli" for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, University of Milan Medical School, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Bipolar Disorders Clinic, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, CA, USA.
⁵ Department of Mental Health, San Paolo Hospital, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy.
⁶ Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'Luigi Sacco', University of Milan, Italy.
⁷ Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
⁸ Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Mental Health, San Paolo Hospital, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy; CRC "Aldo Ravelli" for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, University of Milan Medical School, Italy.
⁹ Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 36724649
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115068

Abstract

An influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on First Episode Psychosis (FEP) has been hypothesized. We previously reported an increase of FEP during the early stages of the pandemic in Milan, Italy. Here we report a 1-year follow-up of the same cohort and comparison with a FEP cohort from 2019. The higher proportion of non-chronic psychoses observed during the pandemic (58.62% in 2020 vs 43,75% in 2019) should be confirmed in larger cohorts over a longer follow-up period.

Keywords: Covid-19 pandemic; First episode psychosis; Personality traits; Reactive psychosis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Testing
COVID-19*
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Italy
Pandemics
Psychotic Disorders* / diagnosis