Symptomatic remission in schizophrenia patients: relationship with social functioning, quality of life, and neurocognitive performance.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether symptomatic remission relates to better outcomes in schizophrenia.

METHODS

Seventy-six schizophrenia patients were assessed using measures of cross-sectional symptomatic remission, social functioning, subjective quality of life (QoL), and cognition.

RESULTS

Most patients (53; 69.7%) were not in remission. Remitted patients presented significantly better social functioning, better self-reported QoL, insight, and lower levels of depressive symptoms. They also showed a non-significant trend for better executive function, processing speed and verbal memory.

CONCLUSIONS

Symptomatic remission may be a good indicator of better clinical status, social functioning and QoL, but not so much for cognitive functioning.