Table 1. Sample characteristics at baseline.
| Characteristics |
Groups in study |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placebo EPA+placebo vitamins, Group 1 | Placebo EPA+active vitamins, Group 2 | Active EPA+placebo vitamins, Group 3 | Active EPA+active vitamins, Group 4 | |
| Age, mean (s.d.) (years) | 28.3 (5.8) | 28.6 (6.3) | 25.7 (5.4) | 27.6 (7.1) |
| Male, n (%) | 17 (71) | 14 (54) | 20 (61) | 12 (64) |
| Education, % ((⩽1):2:3))a | 17:50:33 | 27:50:23 | 39:52:9 | 31:56:13 |
| Smoker, n (%) | 14 (58) | 19 (73) | 20 (61) | 10 (63) |
| Diagnosis, n (SZ:SA:SF)b | 21:2:1 | 16:9:1 | 21:7:5 | 13:2:1 |
| Duration of illness, median (25–75%), year | 7 (2–10) | 3.5 (2–8) | 2 (1–5.5) | 3.5 (1–6.5) |
| First hospitalization, n (%) | 7 (29) | 5 (19) | 14 (42) | 51(31) |
| Clozapine or olanzapine, n (%) | 12 (50) | 15 (58) | 16 (49) | 8 (50) |
| DDD antipsych., median (interquartile range)c | 1.9 (0.6) | 1.7 (1.0) | 1.1 (1.0) | 1.2 (0.6) |
| Total PANSSd | 82.5 (19) | 78.5 (30) | 78 (16) | 94.5 (30) |
| Positive subscale | 20 (6) | 21 (9) | 18 (8) | 23.5 (7) |
| Negative subscale | 19.5 (12) | 19.5 (14) | 21 (11) | 26 (8) |
| General psychopathology subscale | 42 (10) | 37 (15) | 37 (10) | 46.5 (13) |
| RBC PUFAe | 341 (335) | 275 (421) | 405 (304) | 426 (275) |
| EPA | 7.3 (9.4) | 6.6 (9.7) | 9.0 (10.6) | 9.9 (10.5) |
| DHA | 37 (53) | 32 (59) | 48 (54) | 54 (44) |
| ARA | 110 (115) | 81 (144) | 117 (122) | 117 (94) |
| Lipid-adjusted s-alpha-tocopherolf | 4.3 (2.5) | 4.9 (4.8) | 4.9 (3.6) | 4.9 (2.4) |
Abbreviations: ARA, Arachidonic acid; DDD, defined daily doses; DHA, Docosahexaenic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; PANSS, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid; RBC, red blood cells. Sample sizes of patients differed according to whether the specific assessment was performed. ITT sample: nITT=24, 26, 33 and 16 for Groups 1–4, respectively. Below n=nITT if not otherwise specified.
Highest completed education:≤1 =primary school completed or non-completed, 2=secondary school, 3 =college or university.
Diagnoses (DSM-IV): SZ, schizophrenia; SA, schizoaffective disorder; SF, schizophreniform disorder.
Defined daily doses of prescribed antipsychotic drugs.
PANSS, Total sum and the three a priori subscales.
RBC PUFA = sum of ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs in red blood cells, μg g−1 RBC. For all fatty acids derived variables: n=24, 24, 33 and 16.
s-alpha-tocopherol/(triglyceridescholesterol), (μmoll−1)/(mmo11−1), n=22, 24, 31 and 14. c-fMedian (interquartile range).