This study assessed the persistence of negative symptoms in patients treated with antipsychotics.

A retrospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study was carried out by 117 Spanish Psychiatrists (The CLAMORS Collaborative Group). Consecutive outpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for Schizophrenia, Schizophreniform or Schizoaffective Disorder, under antipsychotic treatment for at least 12 weeks, were recruited. Negative symptoms were assessed using the PANSS scale (1-blunted affect; 2-emotional withdrawal; 3-poor rapport; 4-social withdrawal; 5-abstract thinking; 6-verbal fluency; 7-stereotyped thinking). Persistence of a negative symptom was defined by severity score > 3. Persistence of primary negative symptoms was defined when: not present extrapyramidal symptom (EPS); not present items 2 (anxiety) or 6 (depression) of General Psychopathology PANSS scale (<=3); dose of haloperidol non higher than 15 mg/d; and not present antiparkinsonian treatment.

1452 evaluable patients (863 men, 60.9%), 40.7+12.2 years (mean+SD) were included. Negative symptoms (one or more) were presented in 60.3% of patients. The most frequent negative symptoms were social withdrawal (45.8%), emotional withdrawal (39.1%), poor rapport (35.8%) and blunted affect (33.1%). Primary negative symptoms (one or more) were present in 33.1% of patients. The most frequent primary negative symptoms were also social withdrawal (18.2%), emotional withdrawal (14.8%), poor rapport (14.8%) and blunted affect (12.8%).

Persistence of negative symptoms plays an important role in most patients treated with antipsychotics, being near half of them primary negative symptoms.

On behalf of the CLAMORS Collaborative Group.