Comparison of antipsychotic medication effects on reducing violence in people with schizophrenia
Year: 2008
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Violence is an uncommon but significant problem associated with schizophrenia. AIMS: To compare antipsychotic medications in reducing violence among patients with schizophrenia over 6 months, identify prospective predictors of violence and examine the impact of medication adherence on reduced violence. METHOD: Participants (n=1445) were randomly assigned to double-blinded treatment with one of five antipsychotic medications. Analyses are presented for the intention-to-treat sample and for patients completing 6 months on assigned medication. RESULTS: Violence declined from 16% to 9% in the retained sample and from 19% to 14% in the intention-to-treat sample. No difference by medication group was found, except that perphenazine showed greater violence reduction than quetiapine in the retained sample. Medication adherence reduced violence, but not in patients with a history of childhood antisocial conduct. Prospective predictors of violence included childhood conduct problems, substance use, victimisation, economic deprivation and living situation. Negative psychotic symptoms predicted lower violence. CONCLUSIONS: Newer antipsychotics did not reduce violence more than perphenazine. Effective antipsychotics are needed, but may not reduce violence unrelated to acute psychopathology.
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yale University, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, University of Miami, Emory University, Northwestern University, University of Missouri, University of Minnesota, State University of New York, University of Rochester, University of Cincinnati, Louisiana State University, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, University of South Carolina, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, National Institutes of Health, School of Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Emory University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, University of California, Irvine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Medical Center, University of Rochester, National Institute of Mental Health
OpenAlex ID: W2120647667