A study of the pharmacologic treatment of medication-compliant schizophrenics who relapse.
BACKGROUND
Maintenance antipsychotic medications greatly diminish the risk of relapse in schizophrenic patients. A significant number, however, will relapse despite ongoing drug treatment. This is a report of a pilot study of a group of schizophrenic patients who relapsed despite having been compliant with treatment.


METHODS
The authors studied 32 schizophrenic patients who had been compliant with pharmacologic treatment but who had suffered a relapse and were admitted to the hospital. Maintained on their usual pharmacologic treatment, they also received in a double-blind fashion either fluphenazine or placebo. Clinical assessments were done on Day 1 and Day 10.


RESULTS
The authors found no effect of additional neuroleptic treatment on outcome. Two-thirds of the subjects showed at least moderate improvement during the study. Subjects who were experiencing greater severity of depression on admission were more likely to improve. There was no association between baseline ratings of psychosis and outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
This study offers preliminary evidence that increasing the dose of neuroleptic does not improve outcome in schizophrenics who have relapsed while taking antipsychotic medications. Most of these patients will improve during the course of a brief hospitalization.
Steingard
S
S
University of Vermont College of Medicine, Waterbury.
Allen
M
M
Schooler
N R
NR
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005476:Fluphenazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D005476:Fluphenazine