Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40105660›Full record

SynthesisSchizophrenia bulletin2026

Analyzing the Placebo Response and Identifying Influential Factors in Oral Medication Trials for Acute-Phase Schizophrenia.

Jiyuan Ren, Lei Zhang, Ling Xu, Yinghua Lv, Jihan Huang, Yulin Feng, Haoyang Guo, Yexuan Wang, Juan Yang, Qingshan Zheng and 1 more

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

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 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

11 authors.

Jiyuan RenCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Lei ZhangDepartment of Psychiatry, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3661-8817
Ling XuCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Yinghua LvCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Jihan HuangCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Yulin FengCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Haoyang GuoCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Yexuan WangCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Juan YangCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Qingshan ZhengCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Lujin LiCenter for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2923-3206

Funding

National Natural Science Funds of China 82174229Shanghai S&T Innovation Plan 17401970900
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and hypothesisThis study aims to develop a placebo response and dropout rate model for acute-phase schizophrenia medication trials and assess factors affecting this response to inform future trial design. STUDY

designWe conducted a literature update using a comprehensive meta-analysis of schizophrenia medication trials, focusing on oral placebo-controlled studies. We modeled the placebo response on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity of Illness (CGI-S) scale over time and analyzed dropout rates. Influential factors were explored using covariate models and subgroup analyses. STUDY

resultsAggregate-level data from 48 publications were analyzed. The placebo response reached a plateau at different weeks for PANSS and CGI-S scale scores. The lower the baseline of PANSS total score, older age, heavier body weight, a higher proportion of male or Black patients, smaller sample sizes, single-country trials, older studies, and the use of the Last Observation Carried Forward imputation were associated with a lower placebo response. Maximum response of PANSS Total score and gender significantly influenced dropout rates.

conclusionsWe present a model predicting placebo response in schizophrenia trials, offering insights into the impact of various trial characteristics, aiding in the design and interpretation of future clinical studies.

Indexed as

Antipsychotic AgentsOutcome Assessment, Health CarePatient DropoutsPlacebo EffectSchizophreniaAdministration, OralAdultFemaleHumansMaleAntipsychotic AgentsCGI-Sdropout ratemodel-based meta-analysisPANSSplacebo responseschizophrenia

Identifiers

PMID40105660
PMCPMC12809789

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.