A German multicentre study on the long-term treatment of schizophrenic outpatients.

Planning a major, multicentre study on effects of neuroleptic treatment in schizophrenic outpatients requires attention to many methodological, ethical and administrative matters. This report describes the study planned by the German neuroleptic therapy study group. Three types of treatment have been chosen: prophylactic maintenance medication, neuroleptic crisis intervention and prophylactic early intervention. Patients who meet the criteria for inclusion in the study are assigned to each treatment on a random basis, provided their informed consent has been obtained. Their psychopathological symptoms, social status and physical condition are measured by means of standardised examinations and rating scales. The study is expected to continue during five years, after which computerised data analysis will be carried out to test the central hypotheses for the study.