Characteristics of Clinical Symptoms in Psychotic Disorders of Combatants

Participation in military operations causes high incidence of psychogenic disorders, which
can be the reason for psychosis. Assessment of the structure, features of formation, manifestation,
symptoms of psychotic disorders in combatants will contribute to the development of appropriate
measures for their psychoprophylaxis and treatment.
Purpose. To study the clinical symptoms of psychotic disorders of combatants.
Material and methods. 64 medical histories of combatants, who suff ered from psychosis and were
treated in psychiatric hospitals, were analyzed. According to the medical records, the following was
studied: the structure of psychotic disorders, the symptoms during hospitalization. The obtained
data were processed according to the criterion χ2.
Results. The analysis of 64 medical cases showed that the majority of combatants, who were
treated at psychiatric hospitals, had the following diseases: schizophrenia (F20) – 28 persons,
schizotypical disorders (F21) – 4 persons, acute and transient psychotic disorders (F23) – 25 persons,
schizoaff ective disorders (F25) – 7 persons.
In 38 (59.4%) patients, there was the situation when psychiatric disorders began acutely after
some trauma, while in the rest of the persons, their mental disorders gradually increased, which
excluded their further military service. Thinking disorders, delusional ideas, and inadequate aff ect
predominated in the structure of psychopathological symptoms. The manifestations of delusional
disorders and aff ective reactions were associated with military operations, injuries and fatalities of
some combatants (47 combatants (73.4%)). Certain symptoms comorbid to psychotic disorders
and advanced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before the beginning of treatment took place
in 52 patients (81.3%).
Conclusion. Analysis of the prevalence and structure of psychotic disorders in combatants using the
medical records was carried out. The following was studied: nosological spectrum, manifestation
of psychosis, detailed comparative analysis of clinical symptoms in the most common psychoses
(schizophrenia (F20) and acute and transient psychotic disorders (F23)).