Leucht S, Bauer S, Med C, et al. - Findings suggest some efficacy of even low doses of antipsychotics for relapse prevention in schizophrenia.

• From the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group’s Study-Based Register of Trials (March 9, 2020), PubMed (January 1, 2021), and previous reviews, researchers retrieved evidence from 72 dose arms from 26 studies with 4,776 participants for analysis.

• No greater efficacy was recorded in correlation with doses higher than approximately 5-mg/d risperidone equivalent.

• However, more adverse events were described in correlation with increasing doses.

• Clinicians are suggested to practice caution when they reduce doses at the lower dose end as further reductions of dose are accompanied by disproportionately higher risk of relapse.