Hemodialysis in schizophrenics. A double-blind study.
The therapeutic effects of hemodialysis were evaluated in 19 schizophrenics with random assignment to active (n = 10) or sham (n = 9) dialysis. Evaluations were done before and after one month of treatment by an investigator blind to the type of dialysis using four rating scales. Five of the ten patients undergoing active dialysis and three of the nine patients undergoing sham dialysis showed clinical improvement on the psychiatric rating scales. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the magnitude of this improvement. For three patients treated by active dialysis after sham dialysis, there were no significant differences. Three other patients whose conditions dramatically improved by active dialysis did not confirm such a beneficial effect with a second period of active dialysis. Transient improvement of some schizophrenic patients cannot thus be explained by blood clearance through dialysis.
D000328:Adult; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology