Trajectories of response in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: A one-year prospective cohort study of antipsychotic effectiveness

BACKGROUND Antipsychotic drugs remain the mainstay of schizophrenia treatment;however,their effectiveness has been questioned,and it is not possible to predict the response to a specific antipsychotic drug in an individual patient.Thus,it is important to compare the effectiveness of the various antipsychotics and search for possible response predictors.AIM To investigate the effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs,we examined response trajectories and predictors for belonging to different trajectory groups.METHODS The Bergen-Stavanger-Innsbruck-Trondheim(BeSt InTro)trial compared the effectiveness of three atypical antipsychotics-amisulpride,aripiprazole,and olanzapine-in a prospective,semirandomized,rater-blind,head-to-head design.Adult participants with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder diagnosis,according to international classification of diseases,Tenth Revision(ICD-10)F20–29,were included.Participants were followed for a period of 12 mo,with assessments at baseline;after one,three and six weeks;and after three,six,nine and 12 mo.A latent class mixed model was fitted to our data.The three-trajectory model based on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS)total score reduction was found to have adequate fit,and the study drugs,as well as various demographic and clinical parameters,were tested as predictors for belonging to the different trajectory groups.RESULTS Overall,144 participants were included,and 41%completed the 12-mo study period.The largest trajectory group,consisting of 74%of participants,showed a PANSS total score reduction of 59%from baseline to 12 mo(Good response group).A trajectory group comprising 13%of participants had their PANSS total score reduced by 82.5%at 12 mo(Strong response group),while the last response trajectory group comprising 13%of the participants had a PANSS total score reduction of 13.6%(Slight response group).The largest part of the total reduction for the Good and Strong response groups occurred at six weeks of treatment,amounting to 45%and 48%reductions from baseline,respectively.The use of amisulpride predicted belonging to the Strong response group,while unemployment,depression,and negative psychotic symptoms at baseline increased the chance of belonging to the Slight response group,indicating a poor response to antipsychotic drug treatment.CONCLUSION Most of the participants(87%)had a good outcome after one year.Amisulpride users,more often than aripiprazole and olanzapine users,belonged to the response trajectory group with a strong response.

Sampling Survey of Disability in 0-6 Year-old Children in China

Objective To investigate the current status of disabled children and prevalence of disabilities in children aged 0-6 years and their risk factors, and to provide scientific evidence for making relevant policies for disabled children. Metlmds In a community-based cross-sectional study, multi-phase, stratified, unequal proportional and cluster sampling was adopted to survey 60 124 children aged 0-6 years. All the investigated children were screened for disabilities, and those with positive screening tests were further diagnosed by various specialties. Results A total of 819 children were diagnosed as disabled with an overall prevalence of 1,362%, 0.155% for hearing disability, 0.160% for visual disability, 0.931% for intelligent disability, 0.424% for limb disability, and 0.101% for mental disability. Prevalence of disability in children was higher in rural areas, and in families with two or more children, low educational level or in divorced families. Conclusion The prevalence of disability can be reduced by economic development, improvement of health care and quality of population, as well as harmonious familial relationship, early prevention of disability, and preschool education for disabled children.