Criteria for evaluating improvement in schizophrenia in psychopharmacological research (with special reference to gamma endorphin fragments).

Abstract

A review of treatment trials with DT gamma E revealed widely discrepant results. Relevant variables were the variety of measures employed for monitoring psychotic symptoms, and the different criteria used to judge the degree of improvement. The authors suggest a uniform outcome criterion for early trials of new treatments, which would generate more consistent and comparable results between studies, and give a stronger indication of the value of the treatment under test. When the data from the various treatment trials of DT gamma E were reanalysed, applying a uniform outcome criterion of improvement of a change of 80% or more on rating-scale score, the results were more consistent than would have been suspected from the original reports.

• Authors: R Manchanda, S R Hirsch, T R Barnes
• Journal: The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science (Br J Psychiatry) Vol. 153 Pg. 354-8 (Sep 1988) ISSN: 0007-1250 [Print] England
• PMID: 3250672 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Endorphins
• Peptide Fragments
• gamma-endorphin, des-Tyr(1)-

Topics

• Clinical Trials as Topic (standards)
• Endorphins (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Peptide Fragments (therapeutic use)
• Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
• Schizophrenia (drug therapy)
• Schizophrenic Psychology