Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35935409›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2022

Tapered discontinuation vs. maintenance therapy of antipsychotic medication in patients with first-episode schizophrenia: Obstacles, findings, and lessons learned in the terminated randomized clinical trial TAILOR.

Anne Emilie Stürup, Carsten Hjorthøj, Nikolai Albert, Signe Dolmer, Merete Birk, Bjørn H Ebdrup, Lene Falgaard Eplov, Heidi Jensen, Ditte Lammers Vernal, Helene Speyer and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Anne Emilie StürupCopenhagen Research Center for Mental Health (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Carsten HjorthøjCopenhagen Research Center for Mental Health (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Nikolai AlbertCopenhagen Research Center for Mental Health (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Signe DolmerPsychosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Merete BirkPsychosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Bjørn H EbdrupCenter for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CNSR), Mental Health Centre Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark.
Lene Falgaard EplovCopenhagen Research Center for Mental Health (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Heidi JensenCopenhagen Research Center for Mental Health (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ditte Lammers VernalUnit for Psychiatric Research, Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
Helene SpeyerCopenhagen Research Center for Mental Health (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ole MorsPsychosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Merete NordentoftCopenhagen Research Center for Mental Health (CORE), Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aim: Evidence is insufficient regarding the consequences of discontinuing vs. maintaining antipsychotic medication in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Our aim was to examine tapered discontinuation vs. maintenance treatment regarding remission of psychotic symptoms and impact on other areas. Methods: Patients included had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, were treated with antipsychotic medication, and were in remission of psychotic symptoms. Participants were randomized to tapered discontinuation or maintenance treatment with antipsychotic medication. Assessments were undertaken at baseline and after 1-year. The primary outcome was remission of psychotic symptoms without antipsychotic medication. Results: The trial was terminated due to insufficient recruitment. In total, 29 participants were included: 14 in the tapering/discontinuation group and 15 in the maintenance group. Adherence to maintenance treatment was poor. At 1-year follow-up, remission of psychotic symptoms without antipsychotic medication for 3 months was observed in five participants in the tapering/discontinuation group and two in the maintenance group. Conclusion: Due to insufficient recruitment this study does not provide a conclusion on whether unfavorable outcomes or advantages follow tapering of antipsychotic medication. Recruitment and adherence to maintenance treatment encountered obstacles. Based on experiences from this trial, we discussed alternative study designs as consistent evidence is still needed on whether to continue or discontinue antipsychotic medication in remitted patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Clinical trial registration: https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2016-000565-23/DK, EU Clinical Trials Register-EudraCT no. 2016-000565-23.

Indexed as

antipsychoticsdesigndiscontinuationfirst-episode schizophreniamaintenancerelapseremissiontapering

Identifiers

PMID35935409
PMCPMC9355082

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.