[The risk of rehospitalisation during therapy with atypical and typical neuroleptics--a contribution to differential indication].

Atypical neuroleptics have a lot of advantages compared with conventional substances. It is still disadvantageous that a depot-medication is missing. The role of the form of application has been studied in a schizophrenia-out-patient department. In 25 out-patients under therapy with atypical neuroleptics the time of rehospitalisation per year was retrospectively determined and compared with that of 25 out-patients receiving depot-medication. Both groups were comparable with regard to some patient-characteristics and predictors of the course of the disease. It turned out that for patients with depot-neuroleptics the time spent in hospital per year was half of that for patients under atypical drugs. It had been in the same range in both groups 4 to 6 years ago and had decreased until the last year of the catamnesis in patients with depot-medication, but not in those with atypics. Typical neuroleptics as oral medication are disadvantageous in this respect. Despite efforts to reach a good compliance in all patients, preferable effects of atypical drugs with regard to negative symptoms are opposed by less favourable rehospitalisation times. This has to be taken into consideration in differential indication.