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Patients with recent onset of schizophrenia (n=49) were assessed for medication adherence using patient self-report, clinician judgments, pill counts, and plasma levels.
Psychiatric symptoms were assessed every 2 weeks using the expanded Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.
All patients were provided atypical antipsychotic medications, regular psychiatrist visits, and individual case management.
Nonadherence robustly predicted a return of psychotic symptoms during the early phase of schizophrenia.
- Hazard ratios = 3.7-28.5, depending on the severity of nonadherence.
Missing as little as 25% of the prescribed dosage over a period of ≥2 weeks significantly increased the risk of psychotic symptom return.
Nonadherent patients were defined as patients with <50% adherence of the prescribed medication dose for at least 2 weeks.
Reference:
Subotnik KL, Nuechterlein KH, Ventura J, et al. Risperidone nonadherence and return of positive symptoms in the early course of schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry. 2011; 68 (3): 286-292.