title: Quality of life in persons with schizophrenia in out-patient treatment with first- or second-generation antipsychotics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Effects of first in comparison with second-generation antipsychotics on the subjective quality of life (QoL) of patients with schizophrenia under routine treatment conditions were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective naturalistic trial the QoL, social, clinical, and treatment-related characteristics and type of antipsychotic medication of 307 patients with schizophrenia (ICD-10 F 20) were assessed five times with 6-month intervals over 2.5 years. Longitudinal and cross-sectional effects of antipsychotic medication were assessed by hierarchical regression models. Selection bias was controlled by propensity scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While positive effects of first-generation antipsychotics on subjective QoL in comparison with no antipsychotic treatment were found, second-generation antipsychotics caused no better QoL than first-generation antipsychotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hypothesis that second-generation in comparison with first-generation antipsychotics have a better effect on the improvement of subjective QoL of people with schizophrenia in routine out-patient treatment was not supported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. reinhold.kilian@bkh-guenzburg.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kilian
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toumi
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Angermeyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents