Double-blind placebo substitution: withdrawal of fluphenazine decanoate in schizophrenic patients.
In a double-blind placebo substitution study, 27 chronic schizophrenic patients successfully treated for more than 2 years with fluphenazine decanoate were withdrawn from the drug. These patients showed a significantly higher relapse rate than the matched control group of 26 patients who continued to receive fluphenazine (56% versus 19%, p less than .001). This high rate of relapse is viewed as indicating the need for continued medication in most chronic schizophrenic patients.
D002908:Chronic Disease; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005476:Fluphenazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; C011825:fluphenazine depot; D005476:Fluphenazine