Gender differences in acute and transient psychotic disorder

Abstract

Introduction

In the recent decades, there is a growing interest in gender differences in psychotic disorders. Also, in the field of acute and transient psychosis, according to various studies, women seem to have higher prevalence and long-term diagnostic stability.

Objectives

To determine whether there are gender differences in clinical features of acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPD).

Methods

Descriptive cross-sectional study in the adult patients with ATPD were admitted between 2011 and 2015 in our acute psychiatric ward. Diagnostic criteria was according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Descriptive and inferential statistic procedures for clinical symptoms and diagnostic subcategories were performed, using the MedCalc software, version 15.8.

Results

Thirty-nine patients met the inclusion criteria. Males were (MG) 41%, females (FG) 59%. There were some statistically significant differences between gender in the polymorphic features group (>FG, P = 0.048), and in the presence of acute stress (>FG, P = 0.0277). Length of stay was also different, but without statistical significance (>MG, P = 0.0607). In contrast, symptomatic sets, family history of psychosis, and type of onset (sudden or acute) were similar for both groups.

Conclusions

The gender differences seem to be in favour of a higher prevalence of polymorphic psychotic symptoms, in relation to stressful events in women. Somehow, these factors could be a condition, which would determine a greater diagnostic stability in female patients, even in cases of recurrences.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.