SynthesisSchizophrenia bulletin2026
Comparative Efficacy and Acceptability of Treatment Strategies for Antipsychotic-Induced Akathisia: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Schizophrenia bulletin, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Guideline
- Expert Consensus on the Use of Lurasidone for Bipolar I Depression in Asian Patients.Alpha psychiatry · 2026Article
- Real-world comprehensive care of people living with schizophrenia: recommendations across different settings and clinical stages.World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) · 2026Article
- Benzodiazepine use in schizophrenia: A review of the literature.The mental health clinician · 2025Review
- Trends in pharmacological prescriptions and polypharmacy for personality disorders: a 10-year cross-sectional analysis of naturalistic data.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAntipsychotics are the treatment of choice for schizophrenia, but they often induce akathisia. However, comparative efficacy of treatment strategies for akathisia remains unclear.
designWe performed a systematic review and network meta-analyses (PROSPERO CRD42023450720). We searched multiple databases on July 24, 2023. We included randomized clinical trials comparing 1 or more treatment strategies for antipsychotic-induced akathisia against each other or control conditions. We included adults with schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders treated with antipsychotics. The primary outcome was akathisia severity at posttreatment. Secondary outcomes included akathisia response, all-cause dropout, psychotic symptoms, and long-term akathisia severity. We synthesized data in random effects frequentist network meta-analyses and assessed confidence in the evidence using CINeMA.
resultsWe identified 19 trials with 661 randomized participants (mean age 35.9 [standard deviation 12.0]; 36.7% [195 of 532] women). No trials examined dose reduction or switching of antipsychotics. Findings suggested 5-HT2A antagonists (k = 6, n = 108; standardized mean difference [SMD] -1.07 [95% confidence interval, -1.42; -0.71]) and beta-blockers (k = 8, n = 105; SMD -0.46 [-0.85; -0.07]) may improve akathisia severity, but confidence in the evidence was deemed low. We also found that benzodiazepines (k = 2, n = 13; SMD -1.62 [-2.64; -0.59]) and vitamin B6 (k = 3, n = 67; SMD -0.99 [-1.49; -0.50]) might also be beneficial, but confidence in the evidence was very low. Analyses of secondary outcomes did not provide additional insights.
conclusionsOur findings suggest that 5-HT2A antagonists, beta-blockers, and with a lesser certainty, benzodiazepines, and vitamin B6 might improve akathisia. Given the low to very low confidence in the evidence of add-on agents and the absence of evidence of their long-term efficacy, careful consideration of side effects is warranted. These recommendations are extremely preliminary and further trials are needed.
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