title: Depressive symptoms and their association with acute treatment outcome in first-episode schizophrenia patients: comparing treatment with risperidone and haloperidol.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate depressive symptoms regarding their association with the acute outcome in first-episode schizophrenia comparing risperidone and haloperidol.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 274 patients were analysed within a double-blind randomized controlled trial and treated with risperidone or haloperidol. The patients were grouped according to their baseline HAMD-21 total score in a "depressed" (HAMD-21 ≥16) or "non-depressed" (HAMD-21 <16) patient subgroup. PANSS, HAMD-21, GAF, SOFAS and AIMS ratings were performed. Early response was defined as an initial 20% reduction of the PANSS total score from admission to week 2, response as an at least 50% reduction of the PANSS total score from admission to discharge and remission according to the consensus criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 124 patients were classified as depressive at baseline with 22 patients still being depressive at discharge. The depressed and non-depressed patients did not significantly differ regarding the treatment with risperidone and haloperidol (P = 0.2270). The depressive patients suffered from significantly more suicidal tendencies (P = 0.0165), had significantly less insight into their illness (P = 0.0152) and featured significantly worse functioning (P = 0.0066). Patients with depressive symptoms achieved remission significantly less often than non-depressed patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The importance of a specific and adequate treatment of depressive symptoms is highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seemüller
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klingberg
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Heuser
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klosterkötter
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gastpar
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gaebel
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schennach-Wolff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012074:Remission Induction; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006220:Haloperidol; D018967:Risperidone