Summary of findings for the main comparison. Increasing the antipsychotic dose compared to switching the antipsychotic drug for non response in schizophrenia.
| Increasing the antipsychotic dose compared to switching the antipsychotic drug for non responsein schizophrenia | ||||||
| Patient or population: patients with non response in schizophrenia Settings: inpatients Intervention: increasing the antipsychotic dose Comparison: switching the antipsychotic drug | ||||||
| Outcomes | Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | No of Participants (studies) | Quality of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments | |
| Assumed risk | Corresponding risk | |||||
| Switching the atipsychotic drug | Increasing the antipsychotic dose | |||||
| Global state: Clinically relevant response – as defined by trial Risk ratio Follow‐up: mean 4 weeks | 77 per 1000 | 125 per 1000 (13 to 1000) | RR 1.63 (0.17 to 15.99) | 29 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ very low1,2 | |
| Leaving the study early: Tolerability ‒leaving the study early due to side effects | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | 0 (0) | See comment | No studies reported on this outcome. |
| Leaving the study early: Acceptability ‒leaving the study early due to any reason | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | 0 (0) | See comment | No studies reported on this outcome, |
| General mental state ‒BPRS total score at endpoint* Weighted mean difference Follow‐up: mean 4 weeks | The mean general mental state ‒ BPRS total score at endpoint in the control groups was 38.2 points in BPRS | The mean general mental state ‐ BPRS total score at endpoint in the intervention groups was 2 higher (4.2 lower to 8.2 higher) | 29 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ very low1,2 | Data for prespecified outcome: Clinically important change were not reported. | |
| Adverse effects ‒at least one adverse effect | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | 0 (0) | See comment | No studies reported on this outcome. |
| Service use ‒time in hospital | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | 0 (0) | See comment | No studies reported on this outcome. |
| Quality of life ‒average change in quality of life | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | 0 (0) | See comment | No studies reported on this outcome. |
| *The basis for the assumed risk (e.g. the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). CI: Confidence interval; RR: Risk ratio | ||||||
| GRADE Working Group grades of evidence High quality: further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect. Moderate quality: further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate. Low quality: further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate. Very low quality: we are very uncertain about the estimate. | ||||||
1 Imprecision: total (cumulative) sample size was just 29 participants and 95% confidence interval around the estimate of effect included no effect and appreciable benefit and appreciable harm; thus, very serious imprecision was present. 2 Publication bias: strongly suspected as there is only one study.