Conference paper
AN AUDIT TO ASSESS THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE USE OF A PLURIPOTENTIAL RISK SYNDROME: THE CASE TO MOVE ON FROM “PSYCHOSIS RISK SYNDROME (PRS)”
Mark Agius
; Clare College, Cambridge, UK; South Essex Partnership University Foundation NHS Trust, UK ; Department of Psychiatry University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Rashid Zaman
; South Essex Partnership University Foundation NHS Trust, UK ; Department of Psychiatry University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Dean Hanafy
; Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
Abstract
An Audit has been carried out of the patients who have been assessed using the CAARMS tool in order to assess patients who
have been judged to have a prodromal psychotic syndrome. Instead of advocating PRS, Johannessen & McGorry (Johannessen
2010), have offered an alternative: a ‘Pluripotent risk syndrome’. This less specific prodrome reflects the unpredictable nature of
“Ultra-High Risk” states which have been shown to be more likely to develop into a non-psychotic mood disorder than
schizophrenia (Hoon 2012). The corollary this is thus; could patients who exhibit significant depressive features (regardless of
diagnosis) be initially identified as having a 'Pluripotent risk syndrome‘? Ten adult patients (6 males & 4 females, aged 19-26 years
old) with four broad psychiatric diagnoses (Depression, Schizoaffective disorder, Borderline personality disorder and psychotic
illness) were chosen from an anonimised database of the patients and their symptomatology as assessed by CAARMS was
retrospectively assessed to see if the presence of depressive symptoms supported the case for a “Pluripotent risk syndrome”. Though
patients diagnosed with depression frequently exhibited depressive symptoms, psychotic symptoms were also apparent, albeit in
comparatively decreased severity. Patients diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder had depressive symptoms more frequently than
psychotic symptoms, but these were comparatively less severe. Borderline personality disorder patients exhibited depressive
symptoms more frequently than psychotic symptoms. Psychotic illnesses frequently had depressive symptoms, but more typically (and
unsurprisingly) had comparatively more severe psychotic than depressive symptoms.Hence we propose that the concept of a
“Pluripotent risk syndrome” is in our view born out
Keywords
Pluripotent risk syndrome; Ultra High Risk Mental State
Hrčak ID:
266693
URI
Publication date:
26.8.2013.
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