Am J Psychiatry 1980; 137:1088-1089
Copyright © 1980 by American Psychiatric Association
Predicting outcome of antipsychotic drug treatment from early response
PR May, T Van Putten and C Yale
The authors gave 48 newly admitted schizophrenic patients an initial test
dose (2.2 mg/kg) of chlorpromazine hydrochloride and additional doses at 24
and 36 hours. Clinical response was measured at 48 hours and at the end of
subsequent treatment with a fixed dose (6.6 mg/kg) of chlorpromazine. There
was a consistent correlation between 48-hour change and the eventual amount
of improvement by the end of drug treatment for all 10 outcome criteria.
The authors conclude that change early on in drug treatment is a useful
predictor of outcome.
