Definitions of schizophrenia relapse as a study outcome and impact on the comparative effectiveness of oral versus injectable antipsychotics in the real-world setting

Schizophrenia is a devastating disease for which there is no cure. Available treatments aim at minimizing the symptoms. However, patients often stop taking their tablets, which leads to a worsening of their symptoms, referred to as relapse. In order to avoid the problems of discontinuation, some treatments are administered through an injection. Several studies have been conducted to compare the benefits of tablets versus injectable treatments on the risk of relapse. However, to combine those results is a challenge because relapse is not defined the same way across those studies. This project will be conducted to identify all the definitions of relapse that have been used and to determine whether combining the results is methodologically acceptable.

Faculty Supervisor:

Grégoire Leclair

Student:

Tiffany Cristarella

Partner:

Yola Rx Consultants

Discipline:

Pharmacy / Pharmacology

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Université de Montréal