Low-dose neuroleptic treatment of outpatient schizophrenics. I. Preliminary results for relapse rates.

In an attempt to begin to establish minimum effective dosage requirements for the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia, we undertook a double-blind comparison of low-dose fluphenazine decanoate (1.25 to 5.0 mg/2 wk) with the standard-dose regimen (12.5 to 50.0 mg/2 wk) in outpatient schizophrenics. For the first 126 patients studied, cumulative relapse rates at one year for the low dose were 56% and for the standard dose 7%, a significant difference. Despite the fact that very little dyskinetic symptomatology developed in the sample as a whole, the low-dose treatment appeared to have a significant advantage in producing fewer early signs of tardive dyskinesia. Severity of relapse and total cumulative dosage were also considered.