Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39920141›Full record

Observational studyScientific reports2025

Effectiveness of antipsychotic medication in patients with schizophrenia in a real world retrospective observational study in Ethiopia.

Mulualem Kelebie, Getasew Kibralew, Gebresilassie Tadesse, Gidey Rtbey, Mekidem Aderaw, Wondale Endeshaw, Mitiku Belachew, Mulu Muche, Diemesew Getnet, Setegn Fentahun

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–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. Review
  2. Mental health help-seeking by US college students with a diagnosis of psychosis.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2026
    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

10 authors.

Mulualem KelebieDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia. mulualem2323@gmail.com.
Getasew KibralewDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Gebresilassie TadesseDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Gidey RtbeyDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Mekidem AderawDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Wondale EndeshawDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Mitiku BelachewDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Mulu MucheDepartment of Environmental Biotechnology, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Diemesew GetnetDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Setegn FentahunDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Antipsychotic medications have become the cornerstone of treatment for schizophrenia. The antipsychotic drugs are high-affinity antagonists of dopamine D2 receptors that are most effective against psychotic symptoms, but antipsychotic drugs can have side effects that overshadow their advantages, like sedation, extrapyramidal symptoms, and weight gain, which are often experienced as adverse effects. In our country, the relative effectiveness of antipsychotic medication as well as their tolerance in schizophrenia patients is not fully addressed. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of antipsychotic medication and associated factors in schizophrenia patients at the psychiatry clinic. An institutional-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using administrative data of patients with schizophrenia disorder based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) that initiated or changed to a new antipsychotic treatment by clinicians assessments from April 1, 2023, to March 1, 2024 at university of Gondar specialized hospital. The effectiveness of prescribed antipsychotic medication was evaluated using the Clinical Global Impressions-Schizophrenia scale (CGI-SCH), inclusive of subscales for positive, negative, depressive, and cognitive symptoms. A total of 608 patients were receiving antipsychotic medications as follows: 118 patients (19.4%) were prescribed haloperidol, 88 patients (14.5%) were taking chlorpromazine, 48 patients (7.9%) received fluphenazine (decanoate), 126 patients (20.7%) were on risperidone, and 228 patients (37.5%) were treating with olanzapine. In total, 64.8% of patients show improvement in the prescribed medications within one year of treatment (Kaplan-Meier estimate 35.2%) for haloperidol, 31 (26.3%) for chlorpromazine, 30 (34.1%) for Fluphenazine, 19 (39.6%) for risperidone, 51 (40.5%), and 83 (36.4%) for olanzapine. Effectiveness was assessed using the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I); the overall improvements like negative, positive, depressive, and cognitive symptoms were significantly higher for olanzapine, followed by haloperidol (p < .001). Good adherence (AHR = 0.63; 95% CI 0.5-0.78), history of relapse (AHR = 1.43; 95% CI 1.13-1.82), unemployment (AHR = 1.4; 95% CI 1.06-1.85), and history of suicidal ideation (AHR = 1.79; 95% CI 1.24-2.58) were significant predictors of symptoms improvement. The study found olanzapine is more effective in improving schizophrenia symptoms than other antipsychotic drugs. Medication adherence, symptom relapse, and suicidal thoughts significantly impacted antipsychotic effectiveness in individuals with schizophrenia disorder.

Indexed as

Antipsychotic AgentsSchizophreniaAdultEthiopiaFemaleHaloperidolHumansMaleMiddle AgedOlanzapineRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultAntipsychotic AgentsHaloperidolOlanzapineAntipsychoticEffectivenessEthiopiaSchizophrenia

Identifiers

PMID39920141
PMCPMC11806019

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.