Relapse in patients with schizophrenia: a comparison between risperidone and haloperidol

OBJECTIVES: To compare rates of rehospitalization and time to relapse in risperidone vs. haloperidol-treated schizophrenic patients discharged from the hospital. METHODS: Randomized controlled trial comparing risperidone and haloperidol regarding relapse in patients with schizophrenia treated with flexible doses during one year. RESULTS: Twenty patients were assigned to risperidone and 13 to haloperidol. One patient from each group withdrew consent and one patient in the risperidone group was lost for follow-up. Six (30.0%) patients in the risperidone group and 3 (23.1%) in the haloperidol group relapsed (p=1.00). However, time to relapse was shorter in the later (logrank =4.2; p=.04). When rehospitalized, patients in the risperidone group stayed 34.5 days (median) at hospital as compared to the haloperidol group (median of 61 days) (p=.61). CONCLUSION: The proportion of schizophrenic patients who relapsed was similar in both groups; However, time to relapse was shorter in the haloperidol-treated patients.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Sena,Eduardo Pondé de, Santos-Jesus,Rogério, Miranda-Scippa,Ângela, Quarantini,Lucas de Castro, Oliveira,Irismar Reis de
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria 2003
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-44462003000400007
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