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High rehospitalization rate in alcohol-induced psychotic disorder

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Abstract

Little is known about the prevalence and in particular the outcome of alcohol-induced psychotic disorder (AIPD). Data from hospital statistics of the BARMER GEK, one of the major health insurance companies in Germany, show a low overall prevalence of AIPD. An analysis of readmission rates for patients hospitalized for AIPD in 2005 (N = 462) and 2006 (N = 404) for the period up to 2010 revealed very high readmission rates. Only a minority of patients were without relapse [144 (31.2 %) of the 2005 sample; 152 (37.6 %) of the 2006 sample]. Thus, AIPD appears to be a rare complication of the alcohol use disorder but to have an extremely high rehospitalization rate, probably indicating a more chronic course and worse prognosis than previously thought. More follow-up studies are needed to elucidate this syndrome.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Jacquie Klesing, Editor in the Life Sciences (ELS), for editing assistance with the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Private Hospital Meiringen, Willigen, 3860, Meiringen, Switzerland

    Michael Soyka & Peggy Schmidt

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig Maximilian University, Nussbaumstr. 7, 80336, Munich, Germany

    Michael Soyka

  3. BARMER GEK, Postfach 11 07 04, 10837, Berlin, Germany

    Bernd Helten & Marcus Cleves

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  1. Michael Soyka
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  2. Bernd Helten
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  3. Marcus Cleves
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  4. Peggy Schmidt
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Correspondence to Michael Soyka.

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Soyka, M., Helten, B., Cleves, M. et al. High rehospitalization rate in alcohol-induced psychotic disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 263, 309–313 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-012-0374-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-012-0374-z

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