The OPUS YOUNG Trial. Early Intervention Versus Treatment as Usual for Adolescents With First-episode Psychosis

Summary

The OPUS YOUNG (OY) study investigates the efficacy of early intervention service versus treatment as usual (TAU) for adolescents aged 12-17 years with a first-episode psychosis.

In Denmark, the yearly incidence of schizophrenia in youth below the age of 18 years has increased from 137 in 2000 to 477 in 2016. Outcomes in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are suboptimal with low quality of life, low rates of recovery, substance misuse, higher rates of suicide, violence and legal problems, low educational and vocational attainment, and a significantly reduced life-expectancy of 15-20 year. Schizophrenia imply a large burden of disease with severe impact on patients, their families, the service system and a large economic societal burden.

The investigators will include 290 participants age 12-17 years with an early onset psychosis within the following diagnostic classes: schizophrenia spectrum, psychotic depression or drug-induced psychosis. The design is an independent, investigator initiated, pragmatic, randomized clinical trial, with blinded outcome assessment. Participants are randomized 1:1 to OY or TAU. Participants in OY are offered 2 years of specialized intervention (OY) regardless of age, while participants in TAU are switched to adult psychiatry at the age of 18 years. OY builds on the Danish evidenced based intervention for young adults, OPUS, adjusted to meet the specific needs of adolescents: intensified support for caretakers and relatives including siblings; social cognition and interaction treatment; and individual cognitive behavioral case management. OY addresses the specific challenges of psychopharmacologic treatment in youth; supported transition to adult care after OY; school or educational support; and prevention and treatment of substance misuse. The primary endpoint is improved functioning in daily and social life after 24 months. Secondary outcome measures are psychopathology, quality of life, family stress, and retention in treatment and school/employment, and healthcare consumption. The clinical and societal perspective of a large scale implementation is improved prevention of the negative consequences of early-onset psychosis and a reduced burden of severe mental illness.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia
• Schizotypal Disorder
• Delusional Disorder
• Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder, Unspecified
• Schizoaffective Disorder
• Non-Organic Psychosis
• Depression Severe
• Substance Induced Psychoses

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

OPUS YOUNG

OPUS YOUNG is a two year out-patient specialized early intervention service for children and adolescents with a first episode psychosis. The OPUS YOUNG treatment consists of the following elements: modified assertive community treatment, low patients to case manager ratio, cognitive-behavioural case management (CBCM), psycho-educational family treatment including multiple family groups(MFG) and psychoeducational siblings groups, Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT), possible individual Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in addition to CBCM, and manual based psychopharmacologic treatment. Additional, special transition support, individual school/employment support, and prevention and treatment of substance abuse.

BEHAVIORAL

Treatment as Usual

The patients allocated to TAU will be offered non-manualized treatment following national Danish guidelines and local guidelines. Treatment is provided by a multidisciplinary team and consists of case-management (no defined upper case load), family support and psychoeducation, in addition to psychopharmacological treatment. In some cases, social skills training and CBT may be offered. In general, office visits take place in outpatient clinics.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Mental Health Services in the Capital Region, Denmark

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Anne K Pagsberg, PhD · Mental Health Services in the Capital Region, Denmark

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

17 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-05-06

Primary Completion

2026-03-31

Completion

2026-03-31

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations