Characterizing the profile of schizophrenic patients with high hospitalization rates seems relevant. The aim of this study is to describe characteristics of patients with schizophrenia hospitalized at Acute Care Units, and identify clinical profiles associated to relapse.

Observational retrospective study (case-control). Hospitalized patients diagnosed for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder for more than 2 years. Data related to the previous 3 years and current hospitalization were recorded: sociodemographics, diagnosis, CGI, reason for current/previous hospitalizations, life events, drug abuse, therapy prior and during hospitalization and compliance.

Preliminary results from 1607 patients are presented: cases are patients with no hospitalization (No-HOSP) in the previous 3 years (N=508); controls are those who had some hospitalization (HOSP) during that period (N=1099). HOSP patients were significantly younger than No-HOSP (p<0.0001). 41% of HOSP and 28.4% of No-HOSP patients showed No-Low family support (p<0.0001). 55.9% of HOSP and 50.2% of No-HOSP patients showed some drug abuse close to current hospitalization (p<0.05). The most frequent factor for current hospitalization was relapse due to non-compliance in both HOSP (66.2%) and No-HOSP (59.4%; p=0.0092). Through artificial intelligence methods, fourteen variables are identified as related to relapse (Number of previous antipsychotics, Time of evolution, CGI, Age, Gender, Educational Level, Family support, Compliance, Heroine, Cocaine or Cannabis abuse, Stressing events, Diagnosis, Number of previous hospitalizations), which have permitted to develop a predictive model for relapse (PRECOG Project).

The main factor for hospitalization was non-compliance. Age, family support, drug abuse seem to be also related to hospitalization.