Objectives-Response patterns may differ between patients with first episode and multi-episode schizophrenia. This analysis explored trial duration with first episode patients and whether early limited improvement predicts ultimate lack of treatment response with first episode patients as it does with multi-episode patients.Methods-112 subjects (mean age=23.3 years [SD=5.1]) who presented between November 1998 and October 2004 with a first episode of psychosis and had a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizophreniform or schizoaffective disorder, were randomly assigned to treatment with olanzapine or risperidone for 16 weeks. Treatment response, the primary outcome measure, was defined as a rating of mild or better on all of the positive symptom items on the SADS-C + PD. Response rates were calculated for each study week. A logistic regression analysis examined the association between percent reduction in symptom severity scores from baseline values at weeks 2, 4 or 8 and response by week 16.Results-The estimated cumulative response rate by week 8 was 39.59% (95% CI: 29.77% -49.41%) and 65.19% (95% CI: 55.11% -75.27%) by week 16. The confidence intervals for estimated response at weeks 10, 12, 14 and 16 were not distinct. Response rates increased approximately 5 to 6 percentage points each 2 week interval between week 10 and 16. Percent reduction in symptom severity score at week 4 (but not 2 or 8) was associated (Chi-square = 3.96; df = 1, p<0.05) with responder status at week 16 (odds ratio: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00;1.05). However,
Disclosures:Dr. Robinson has received research support from Lilly, Janssen, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Dr. John Kane serves as a Consultant and/ or Advisory Board member for BMS, Otsuka, Lilly, Janssen, Pfizer, Wyeth, Vanda, GSK, Lundbeck, J & J, PGX Healthcare, Proteus, a shareholder of MedAvante, and serves on Speaker's Bureau for BMS, Janssen, Astra Zeneca, and Lilly. Dr. Sevy has served as a consultant for Abbott laboratories. Dr. Gallego, Ms. McCormack, and Dr. Lesser report no competing interests. Ms. Napolitano had no competing interests when she performed her work reported in the manuscript. Dr. Woerner, Dr. Gunduz-Bruce, Dr. Patel and Ms. Miller report no competing interest. Dr. Schooler has been a consultant for Hoffman La Roche and Lundbeck and has received grant support from Astra-Zeneca, Janssen, Pfizer, Lilly, Novartis and BMS. She has been a speaker or has been an advisory board member for Abbot, Lilly, Roche, Janssen, Lundbeck and Merck.