clozapine treatment, or death by suicide.
Overall, 35 (39%) patients in the placebo group and 19 (21%) patients in the maintenance treatment group had poor ten-year clinical outcomes (risk ratio, 1.84; P=0.012). Two patients in the maintenance group and four in the placebo group committed suicide.
Dr. Venkata B. Kolli, a psychiatrist at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, told Reuters Health by email, “It is crucial to promote the resolution of psychotic symptoms; and at the same time, it is important to improve functional outcomes. Previous studies have shown that early reduction of antipsychotics improves functional outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. This study cautions against early antipsychotic discontinuation.”
“As the risk of relapse is high following discontinuation of antipsychotics, considerable caution should be exercised during reduction of antipsychotics in first-episode psychosis. One needs to have an enhanced safety net when antipsychotics are reduced or discontinued,” added Dr. Kolli, who was not involved in the study.
“This study attests to the role of medications,” Dr. Kolli said. “However, one should note that most patients in the ten-year follow-up received only outpatient treatments services. They do not seem to