[Non-compliance and lack of indications for depot treatment as reasons for exclusion from adequate prevention of recurrence]

OBJECTIVE

The paper reports on the recruitment of a multicenter study on ambulant prophylactic treatment of schizophrenic disorders.

METHODS

For a study of the relapse-preventative effect of different dose patterns of Flupentixol, a screening phase was carried out among of 1129 schizophrenic patients. The aim of the screening phase was to establish the criteria for exclusion or inclusion in the treatment phase of the study.

RESULTS

Only 62 patients could be included. The reason for 54 patients not being included was a lack of compliance from either the patient or the clinician. The meaning of patient- and therapist-compliance in carrying out a multicenter study is also discussed.

Efficacy and tolerability of flupenthixol decanoate in the treatment of depression and psychosomatic disorders: a multicenter trial in general practice

1. A number of controlled as well as uncontrolled studies indicate that flupenthixol in a low-dose regimen is effective in treating syndromes with depression, anxiety, and psychosomatic disorders. 2. In view of the low compliance rates among patients suffering from depressive syndromes, the author evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of flupenthixol decanoate i.m. in an unselected collective of such patients treated in general practices. 3. Flupenthixol decanoate i.m. induced remission in 25% of patients suffering from chronic pain, in 29% of patients with psychosomatic disorders. Patients with depression and anxiety remitted in 27% of the cases. Therapeutic benefit was seen in more than 90% of the patients. 4. The best results were observed in patients 1) who had not been treated with psychotropic drugs before, 2) whose disease had a duration of less than one year, 3) who were under 40 years of age, and 4) who were treated with a dose lower than 0.5 ml (10 mg flupenthixol decanoate).