Nine patients receiving a low dose (25 mg) and ten receiving a standard
dose (150 mg) of depot haloperidol every four weeks were assessed every
three months for two years. Patients also received targeted oral
neuroleptics as needed. No significant between-group differences were found
in clinical outcome as measured by number of hospital admissions, days
hospitalized, scores on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Global
Assessment Scale, and level of extrapyramidal symptoms. Combining low-dose
depot and targeted oral neuroleptics was at least as effective as using a
standard depot dose and for many patients may provide the best way to reach
the minimal effective dose for maintenance treatment.
Abstract Teaser