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Pharmacopsychiatry 2003; 36(2): 45-56
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-39045
Review
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Long-term Treatment of Schizoaffective Disorder: Review and Recommendations

C. Baethge1
  • 1Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 28.12.2001 Revised: 10.5.2002

Accepted: 17.6.2002

Publication Date:
06 May 2003 (online)

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Objective: To provide an overview of long-term treatment studies in schizoaffective disorder (SAD) and to draw conclusions for clinical decision-making. Method: Literature was identified by searches in Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register as well as a hand-search of handbook and journal articles. Studies were considered relevant if they reported on trials of at least 6 months duration and if they presented data for the SAD patients in particular. Results: Thirty-nine studies met the criteria and 18 used modern diagnostic criteria, i. e., RDC, DSM-III-R, -IV, or ICD-10. The studies focused on lithium, anticonvulsants, and antipsychotics. The scientific evidence for prophylactic efficacy of the different substances is poor. Nevertheless, the data encourage the use of lithium and carbamazepine in primarily affective patients and clozapine in primarily schizophrenic patients and possibly in mainly affective patients as well. Conclusions: There is a considerable need for prospective and controlled studies on the long-term treatment of SAD. However, it seems to be useful to subtype the disorder of the patients into primarily affective vs. schizophrenic schizoaffective disorder and schizodepressive vs. schizobipolar and to treat accordingly.

Key words

schizoaffective disorder - long-term treatment - prophylaxis - maintenance therapy - review

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Christopher Baethge, M.D.

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

Freie Universität Berlin

Eschenallee 3

14050 Berlin

Germany

Phone: ++49-30-8445-8661

Fax: ++49-30-8445-8378

Email: christopher.baethge@medizin.fu-berlin.de