Andrews 1976.
Methods | Allocation: randomly assigned. Blinding: double, identical capsules given by the hospital pharmacist who "alone held the key to the drug assignment". Duration: 42 weeks (preceded by 8 weeks stabilisation on chlorpromazine). | |
Participants | Diagnosis: schizophrenia. N=32. Age: mean 55 yrs. Sex: all male. History: in hospital > 6 yrs, mean 23 yrs, on oral phenothiazine. Excluded: on depot injections of phenothiazine. | |
Interventions | 1. Chlorpromazine cessation: placebo. N=17. 2. Chlorpromazine continuation: dose 50,150‐200 or 200‐450 mg/day. N=15. | |
Outcomes | Relapse. Unable to use ‐ Behaviour change: WBRSW (no SD). Leaving the study early: due to deterioration of behaviour ‐ 3 people (not reported by group). Death: coronary thrombosis (not reported by group). |
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Notes | For one patient in the Control Group, the urine test for CPZ was negative and this patient "who did not relapse" was omitted from analysis in the results. | |
Risk of bias | ||
Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | B ‐ Unclear |