RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF RISPERIDONE ON CLINICAL OUTCOME

A retrospective study was conducted at Bronx Psychiatric Center in Bro nx, New York, to evaluate the efficacy of risperidone in a naturalisti c setting. In this study, the charts of 63 patients with schizophrenia or affective psychosis were reviewed for 3 months before and after tr eatment with risperidone. Effectiveness was determined by using the fo llowing outcome measures: number of patients taking risperidone for mo re than 3 months, discharge rate, changes in Clinical Global Impressio n scale scores, use of anticholinergic drugs, need for restraints or s eclusions, number of medications required, and changes in ward privile ge levels. Nine of the 63 patients were discharged from the hospital. Of the patients who remained hospitalized, 17 of 37 (40%) who continue d on risperidone had their ward privilege level increased, and only tw o patients (5%) had their privileges reduced. Risperidone was more eff ective in patients with schizophrenia than in those with affective psy chosis, although this may have been due to the dosing scheme used. In a follow-up study designed to assess the validity of ward privilege le vels as a retrospective outcome measure, it was found that: greater pr ivilege levels were associated with lower scores on the Positive and N egative Syndrome Scale. We recommend the use of retrospective studies as a means of obtaining data on the use of new medications in actual c linical practice.