The relationship between depressive syndrome and suicidal risk in patients with acute schizophrenia

AIM: To determine the relationship between scores on five factors of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Calgary Depression scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) and scores on the InterSePT Scale for Suicidal Thinking (ISST) in patients with acute schizophrenia. METHODS: Data were collected on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of 180 drug-treated in-patients with acute schizophrenia. Their symptoms were assessed with PANSS, CDSS, and ISST and correlations between the scores were calculated. Statistically significant correlations were included in the logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of suicidal risk. RESULTS: CDSS (P < 0.001) score and negative (P < 0.001), disorganized (P = 0.041), emotional (P < 0.001), and total score on PANSS (P < 0.001) showed a significant positive correlation with ISST. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that CDSS scores (odds ratio [OR] 5.18; confidence interval [CI] 1.58-16.95), and disorganized (0.90; 0.81-0.99) and emotional (1.15; 1.01-1.30) factors of PANSS were predictors of suicidal risk. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested a considerable association between depressive syndrome as assessed by the PANSS emotional factor and CDSS score and suicidal risk in patients with acute schizophrenia.