"Real world" study of antipsychotic effectiveness for chronic inpatients with schizophrenia in a state psychiatric hospital: Preliminary results and commentary

Background: Concerns about the therapeutic and neurological benefits of Second Generation Antipsychotics (SGAs), and financial conflicts of interest and possible biases in the recruitment of research participants, prompted this "real world" study of antipsychotic effectiveness for schizoph...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of mental health (Abingdon, England) England), 2006-02, Vol.15 (1), p.57-62
Main Authors: Comaty, Joseph E., Advokat, Claire
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antipsychotic drugs
antipsychotic effectiveness
Biological and medical sciences
Cost benefit analysis
Criteria
Drug therapy
Hospitalization
Hospitals
Medical sciences
Mental health care
Neurology
Neuropharmacology
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Psycholeptics: tranquillizer, neuroleptic
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopharmacology
Schizophrenia
Second generation
second-generation antipsychotics
Side effects
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Summary:Background: Concerns about the therapeutic and neurological benefits of Second Generation Antipsychotics (SGAs), and financial conflicts of interest and possible biases in the recruitment of research participants, prompted this "real world" study of antipsychotic effectiveness for schizophrenia in the naturalistic setting of a public psychiatric hospital. Method: Patients who gave informed consent were evaluated with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impression Scale. Neurological side effects were rated with the Simpson-Angus Scale, the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale, and the Barnes Akathisia Scale. Results: During the study there were 38 eligible patients out of a total 123 admissions, but only 10 gave consent. Baseline symptoms were moderate, with minimal neurological side effects. Although 8 out of 10 received SGAs, during an average 234 days of hospitalization, there was no significant change in any measure, and little change in medications. Conclusions: These preliminary results raise questions about difficulties in patient recruitment, cost-effectiveness of SGAs, polypharmacy and criteria used to determine discharge readiness. Declaration of interest: This study was not supported by any federal, state, local or private grants.
ISSN:0963-8237
1360-0567
DOI:10.1080/09638230500512821