Antipsychotic medication for early-episode schizophrenia

Long-term treatment with antipsychotic medications in early-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders is common, but their short- and long-term effects on the illness are unclear. To assess the effects of antipsychotic medication treatment on people with early-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders, we searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group register (July 2006) as well as references of included studies. We included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) with a majority of first- and second-episode acute schizophrenia spectrum disorders comparing initial antipsychotic medication treatment with placebo, milieu, or psychosocial treatment. Six studies met inclusion criteria. The findings from 4 studies suggested that people treated with a typical antipsychotic medication are less likely to leave the study early than those treated with placebo. Two studies reported a general pattern of more frequent adverse effects for people treated with typical antipsychotic medications compared with placebo. On the whole, there were very little useable data in the few studies meeting inclusion criteria. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)