Long-term outcomes in chronically hospitalized geriatric patients with schizophrenia: retrospective comparison of first generation and second generation antipsychotics.
BACKGROUND
Some groups have reported the longitudinal course of elderly poor outcome schizophrenic patients to be characterized by progressive decline in cognitive functions and functional capacity. Although many of these patients experience minimal reduction of psychotic symptoms, there may be beneficial effects of antipsychotic treatments on cognitive functions and functional capacity.


METHODS
This naturalistic study compared the longitudinal course of psychotic symptoms, cognitive functions and functional impairment in geriatric schizophrenic patients treated with first generation (N=97) or second generation (N=78) antipsychotic medications. Mixed effects linear regression analyses were used to examine the effects of treatment (first generation vs. second generation antipsychotic), time and treatment x time.


RESULTS
Cognitive functions (Mini Mental State Examination time effect estimate=-.41, p<.001; ADAS-L Cog time effect estimate=.64, p<.001) and self-care skills (ADAS-L Self-Care time effect estimate=.65, p<.001) declined over time for the subject group as a whole and this decline was not modified by treatment with second generation antipsychotics relative to first generation antipsychotics. Similarly, second generation antipsychotic treatment produced no effect on the progressive worsening of negative symptom over time.


CONCLUSIONS
This long-term naturalistic study of poor outcome geriatric patients with schizophrenia did not find atypical antipsychotics to produce any differential protective effect relative to typical antipsychotics on the long-term manifestations of symptoms, cognition and self-care in poor outcome geriatric schizophrenic patients.
White
Leonard
L
Clinical Neuroscience Center, Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, West Brentwood, NY 11717, USA. pgcnlww@omh.state.my.us
Friedman
Joseph I
JI
Bowie
Christopher R
CR
Evers
Martin
M
Harvey
Philip D
PD
Parrella
Michael
M
Mihaila
Emilian
E
Davis
Kenneth L
KL
D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012648:Self Care; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents