Long-term effects of discontinuation from antipsychotic maintenance following first-episode schizophrenia and related disorders: a 10 year follow-up of a randomised, double-blind trial.

Background: The long-term consequences of discontinuing antipsychotic medication after successful treatment of first-episode psychosis are not well studied. We assess the relation between early maintenance therapy decisions in first-episode psychosis and the subsequent clinical outcome at 10 years.

Methods: This is a 10 year follow-up study, spanning Sept 5, 2003, to Dec 30, 2014, of a randomised, double-blind trial in seven centres in Hong Kong in which 178 patients with first-episode psychosis with full positive symptom resolution after at least 1 year of antipsychotic treatment were given maintenance treatment (n=89; oral quetiapine 400 mg daily) or early treatment discontinuation (n=89; placebo) for 12 months.

Perception towards relapse and its predictors in psychosis patients: A qualitative study.

Aims: To explore in psychosis patients their subjective perceptions on the definition of relapse, the costs involved, the potential risk and protective factors for relapse, the effect of medication and the consequences of relapse.

Method: Sixteen patients who had previously enrolled into a randomized controlled trial of medication discontinuation during first-episode psychosis were interviewed after 10 years.

Results: Patients had a broader definition of the criteria of relapse, extending from medication discontinuation to family support.

Self-stigma and affiliate stigma in first-episode psychosis patients and their caregivers.

Purpose: Stigma is a major factor causing delayed help-seeking and poor treatment adherence in patients with psychotic disorders. Previous research has mostly focused on chronic samples and the impact of culturally-relevant variables on both patients' and their caregivers' stigmatization is understudied. This study aimed to examine the relationships between various forms of stigma, "face concern", and clinical characteristics in a group of Chinese first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and their caregivers.

The concurrent and predictive validity of symptomatic remission criteria in first-episode schizophrenia.

Background: Since the introduction of consensus criteria for symptomatic remission in 2005, most first-episode studies focused on cross-sectional relationship between remission status and functional outcome. Predictive validity of the proposed remission definition was under-studied. Relationship of remission with subjective quality of life (QoL) was inadequately addressed with inconsistent findings being observed.