A naturalistic outcome study of risperidone treatment among hospital patients.

Risperidone, an atypical antipsychotic, was introduced into clinical use in New York State facilities in April 1994. In this chart review study, records were reviewed for the first 63 patients started on risperidone at the Bronx Psychiatric Center during 1994. Sixty percent of patients treated with risperidone had a positive outcome, indicated by clinical improvement either at discharge or in the hospital. Twenty-two percent required termination of risperidone treatment within the initial three months. Risperidone appeared to be associated with favorable outcome among chronic state hospital patients, including those not discharged within the first three months of treatment.