title: Early neuroleptic intervention in schizophrenia: are prodromal symptoms valid predictors of relapse?
abstract: All recently completed controlled two-year studies on intermittent, early neuroleptic intervention treatment have failed to compare favourably with studies on maintenance treatment concerning relapse prevention. The reason for this failure is still unclear. Therefore the implicit, but as yet unproven, hypothesis that a relapse can be predicted from prodromal symptoms was tested from the perspective of our German multicentre study. Results demonstrate that this is not the case. Possible reasons for and clinical implications of this negative finding are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gaebel
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Köpcke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linden
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Müller-Spahn
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pietzcker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tegeler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents