Meta-analysis of gender differences in transition prevalence among individuals at clinical high risk of psychosis

Gender differences have been found in several areas of individuals at clinical-high risk for psychosis(CHR). Therefore the risk of transition to psychosis may differ between male and female CHR, but previous work has not systematically reviewed and analyzed gender differences in conversion rates.We performed a meta-analysis according to PRISMA guidelines including all studies that assessed CHR with reliable instruments and provided data on the transition from male CHR and female CHR to psychosis to understand the conversion rate conversion in male and female CHR. Seventy-nine article were identified.A total of 1250 out of 5770 in the male CHR individuals, and 832 out of 4468 in the female CHR individuals translated to psychotic disorders. Transition prevalence were 19.4%(95%CI:14.2–25.8%)at 1 year, 20.6% at 2 year (95%CI:17.1–24.8%),24.3% at 3 years (95%CI:21.5–27.4%),26.3% at 4 years or older (95%CI:20.9–32.5%) and 22.3% at all (95%CI:20.0–24.8%) in male CHR and 17.7% (95%CI:12.6–24.4%) at 1 years, 17.5% (95%CI:14.2–21.4%) at 2 year, 19.9%(95%CI:17.3–0.228%) at 3 years,and 0.267 (95%CI:22.1–31.9%) at 4 years or older follow-up,20.4% at all (95%CI:18.1–22.9%) in female CHR. There were differences between the two groups in the overall conversion, the 2-year, and the 3-year follow up transition prevalence, which were higher in men CHR than in female CHR. Future research characterizing male versus female CHR is needed with the expectation that interventions will be developed that are tailored to the respective gender, further reducing the rate of conversion to CHR.