Relapse in patients with schizophrenia: a comparison between risperidone and haloperidol.
OBJECTIVE
To compare rates of rehospitalization and time to relapse in risperidone vs. haloperidol-treated schizophrenic patients discharged from the hospital.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial comparing risperidone and haloperidol regarding relapse in patients with schizophrenia treated with flexible doses during one year.


RESULTS
Twenty patients were assigned to risperidone and 13 to haloperidol. One patient from each group withdrew consent and one patient in the risperidone group was lost for follow-up. Six (30.0%) patients in the risperidone group and 3 (23.1%) in the haloperidol group relapsed (p=1.00). However, time to relapse was shorter in the later (logrank =4.2; p=.04). When rehospitalized, patients in the risperidone group stayed 34.5 days (median) at hospital as compared to the haloperidol group (median of 61 days) (p=.61).


CONCLUSIONS
The proportion of schizophrenic patients who relapsed was similar in both groups; However, time to relapse was shorter in the haloperidol-treated patients.
University Hospital Prof. Edgard Santos, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil. eduponde@ufba.br
Eduardo Pondé
EP
de Sena
Rogério
R
Santos-Jesus
Angela
A
Miranda-Scippa
Lucas de Castro
Lde C
Quarantini
Irismar Reis de
IR
Oliveira
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055502:Secondary Prevention
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006220:Haloperidol; D018967:Risperidone