Aims. This paper aims at providing an overview of the background, design and initial findings of Psychosis IncidentCohort Outcome Study (PICOS).Methods. PICOS is a large multi-site population-based study on first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients attending publicmental health services in the Veneto region (Italy) over a 3-year period. PICOS has a naturalistic longitudinal design andit includes three different modules addressing, respectively, clinical and social variables, genetics and brain imaging. Itsprimary aims are to characterize FEP patients in terms of clinical, psychological and social presentation, and to investigatethe relative weight of clinical, environmental and biological factors (i.e. genetics and brain structure/functioning)in predicting the outcome of FEP.Results. An in-depth description of the research methodology is given first. Details on recruitment phase and baselineand follow-up evaluations are then provided. Initial findings relating to patients’ baseline assessments are also presented.Future planned analyses are outlined.Conclusions. Both strengths and limitations of PICOS are discussed in the light of issues not addressed in the currentliterature on FEP. This study aims at making a substantial contribution to research on FEP patients. It is hoped that theresearch strategies adopted in PICOS will enhance the convergence of methodologies in ongoing and future studies on FEP.
Psychosis Incident Cohort Outcome Study (PICOS). A multisite study of clinical, social and biological characteristics, patterns of care and predictors of outcome in first-episode psychosis. Background, methodology and overview of the patient sample
LASALVIA, Antonio;TOSATO, Sarah;BERTANI, Mariaelena;BONETTO, Chiara;CRISTOFALO, Doriana;BISSOLI, Sarah Saviana;DE SANTI, Katia;MAZZONCINI, Rodolfo;GARZOTTO, Nicola;PERLINI, Cinzia;RAMBALDELLI, Gianluca;BELLANI, Marcella;TANSELLA, Michele;RUGGERI, Mirella;
2012-01-01
Abstract
Aims. This paper aims at providing an overview of the background, design and initial findings of Psychosis IncidentCohort Outcome Study (PICOS).Methods. PICOS is a large multi-site population-based study on first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients attending publicmental health services in the Veneto region (Italy) over a 3-year period. PICOS has a naturalistic longitudinal design andit includes three different modules addressing, respectively, clinical and social variables, genetics and brain imaging. Itsprimary aims are to characterize FEP patients in terms of clinical, psychological and social presentation, and to investigatethe relative weight of clinical, environmental and biological factors (i.e. genetics and brain structure/functioning)in predicting the outcome of FEP.Results. An in-depth description of the research methodology is given first. Details on recruitment phase and baselineand follow-up evaluations are then provided. Initial findings relating to patients’ baseline assessments are also presented.Future planned analyses are outlined.Conclusions. Both strengths and limitations of PICOS are discussed in the light of issues not addressed in the currentliterature on FEP. This study aims at making a substantial contribution to research on FEP patients. It is hoped that theresearch strategies adopted in PICOS will enhance the convergence of methodologies in ongoing and future studies on FEP.
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