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Multiple-outcome criteria in schizophrenia: an overview of outcome with clozapine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

HY Meltzer*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5078, USA
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Summary

The outcome of treatment in schizophrenia is best considered as a multidimensional construct. This report lists thirteen categories of outcome measures that have been studied in schizophrenia research, among the most important of which are psychopathology, cognitive function, interpersonal social function, quality of life, extrapyramidal function, the suicide tendeccy and the need for hospitalisation. Clozapine is effective in achieving improved outcome in all these measures in a high percentage of neuroleptic-resistant patients. Ninety-two of 180 (51.1%) clozapine-treated neuroleptic-resistant patients achieved a decrease of 20% in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale total scores at six weeks using the 0–6 scaling system. Cognitive function contributes importantly to overall function for schizophrenia. Clozapine has been shown to improve some types of cognition in schizophrenia, especially semantic memory and some tests of executive function. Clozapine has also been shown to decrease the incidence of suicide and hospitalisation. The task of deciding which therapies to use in schizophrenia should encompass the spectrum of benefits of each therapy, their risks and costs, in relation to all alternatives.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier, Paris 1995

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