Gender-related features of persistent delusional disorders

Abstract

This paper presents gender-related features of Delusional Disorder. It is part of the Halle Delusional Syndromes Study (HADES-Study). All inpatients fulfilling the DSM-IV/ICD-10 criteria of Delusional Disorder/Persistent Delusional Disorder (DD) during a 14-year period were included and followed up for an average of 10.8 years. Gender distribution was almost equal, women became ill significantly later than men, and almost all women had a stable diagnosis—in contrast to men. The great majority of women, at the end of the follow-up period, had an unremitted DD. Women more frequently had low social functioning at admission, but then were more compliant and received more frequently pharmacological medication. There were no differences in the delusional topic and no differences regarding long-term disability and autarky. In spite of previous reports, the HADES-Study found no gender difference in the frequency of DD. However, men tended more frequently to change into schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. In these cases, the DD might have been a prodrome of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, which manifests later in life. Although in both female and male DD patients, the majority remained unremitted, almost none of them lost their autarky (independent living). While women more frequently received psychopharmacological medication, their DD was usually found to be unremitted.