UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Definitions of relapse in trials comparing antipsychotic maintenance with discontinuation or reduction for schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A systematic review

Moncrieff, J; Crellin, NE; Long, MA; Cooper, RE; Stockmann, T; (2019) Definitions of relapse in trials comparing antipsychotic maintenance with discontinuation or reduction for schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A systematic review. Schizophrenia Research 10.1016/j.schres.2019.08.035. Green open access

[thumbnail of 1-s2.0-S0920996419303913-main.pdf]
Preview
Text
1-s2.0-S0920996419303913-main.pdf - Published Version

Download (580kB) | Preview

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Avoidance of relapse is the main aim of long-term antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia, yet how 'relapse' is defined in trials is not well-known. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of definitions of relapse in trials of continuous antipsychotic treatment compared with discontinuation, intermittent treatment or dose reduction for people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Trials were identified from previous Cochrane reviews and a new search. The quality of relapse definitions was rated in terms of reliability and clinical relevance and associations between quality of definitions and trial characteristics and outcome were explored. RESULTS: We identified 82 reports of 81 trials which employed 54 different definitions of relapse. There were 33 definitions in the 35 trials published since 1990, with recent trials employing complex definitions often involving alternative criteria. Only ten primary definitions of relapse required the presence of psychotic symptoms in all cases, and only three specified this in combination with a measure of overall severity or functional decline. Only two definitions specified a duration longer than two days. Relapse definitions were rated as showing good reliability in 37 trials, but only seven showed good clinical relevance. Six trials with definitions that were both reliable and clinically relevant were slightly longer, but did not differ from remaining trials in other characteristics or overall or relative risk of relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Antipsychotic trials define relapse in numerous different ways, and few definitions consistently reflect suggested indications of a clinically significant relapse.

Type: Article
Title: Definitions of relapse in trials comparing antipsychotic maintenance with discontinuation or reduction for schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A systematic review
Location: Netherlands
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.08.035
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2019.08.035
Language: English
Additional information: Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Keywords: Antipsychotic maintenance, Methodology of antipsychotic trials, Psychosis, Relapse, Relapse definition, Schizophrenia
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Division of Psychiatry
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10084324
Downloads since deposit
Loading...
123Downloads
Download activity - last month
Loading...
Download activity - last 12 months
Loading...
Downloads by country - last 12 months
Loading...

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item