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Fever and acute brief psychosis in urban and rural settings in north India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Pamela Y. Collins*
Affiliation:
Department of Pyschiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York and New York State Psychiatric institute, New York
Vijoy K. Varma
Affiliation:
Department of Pyschiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York and Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
Narendra N. Wig
Affiliation:
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
Ramin Mojtabal
Affiliation:
Department of Pyschiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York
Richard Day
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
Ezra Susser
Affiliation:
Department of Pyschiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York and Division of Epidemiology, Joseph P. Mailman, School of Public Hearth of Columbia University, New York
*
Pamela Y. Collins, 601 West 168th Street, Suite 32, New York, NY 10032, USA. Tel: 212-740-6316; Fax: 212-795-9768

Abstract

Background

This case-control study used data from Chandigarh, North India to investigate the association between antecedent fever and acute brief psychosis.

Aims

To assess whether antecedent fever may be a biological correlate of acute brief psychosis, and contribute to the nosology of acute brief psychosis.

Method

The study was based in an incidence cohort from two catchment areas, an urban and a rural site, that were part of the World Hearth Organization Determinants of Outcome study. The cases (n=17) met criteria for acute brief psychosis; controls (n=40) were patients with other acute and subacute psychoses. The Life Events Schedule was used to determine the presence of antecedent fever.

Results

The crude odds ratio for fever as a risk factor for acute brief psychosis was 6.2 (P=0.004). The odds ratio in a logistic regression analysis – adjusted for site, gender and CATEGO classification – was 11.2 (P=0.003).

Conclusions

Antecedent fever may be a biological correlate of acute brief psychosis. This finding supports the validity of this entity, and has implications for its aetiology and diagnosis.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

Declaration of interest

Supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, USA.

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