Abstract
Objective: To investigate mortality and causes of death of short-lived
psychotic disorders, by carrying out a comparison with bipolar disorder
and schizophrenia.
Method: Record linkage study to the official register of causes of death
of all cases aged 15–64 years who were listed for the first time in the
Danish Psychiatric Register between 1995 and 2008 with an ICD-10
diagnosis of ‘acute and transient psychotic disorders’ (ATPDs;
n = 4157), bipolar disorder (n = 3200) and schizophrenia (n = 4576).
Results: A total of 232 patients (5.6%) with ATPDs, 172 (5.4%) with
bipolar disorder and 233 (5.1%) with schizophrenia had died over a
mean follow-up period of 6.6 years. The standardized mortality ratio
for all causes, natural causes and unnatural causes was significantly
high for the three conditions. Mortality of ATPDs was greater in men,
with about two-thirds of all deaths resulting from natural causes mainly
cardiovascular, digestive, neoplastic and respiratory diseases. Suicide
was the major cause of premature death in patients with ATPDs.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that ATPDs are associated with an
increased mortality from both natural causes and suicide.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica |
| Volume | 128 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages (from-to) | 370-375 |
| ISSN | 0001-690X |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |