This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citing articles on Web of Science (9)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

A Double-Blind Controlled Study With a Placebo

Aris M. Simopoulos, MD; Alcides Pinto, PhD; Eberhard H. Uhlenhuth, MD; John J. McGee, MD; Ernest R. DeRosa

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1974;30(1):106-111.

Abstract
Seventy-six male and female Negro chronic schizophrenics were assigned randomly to either diphenylhydantoin or a placebo after discontinuing phenothiazines.

During an eight-week treatment course, the dosage of diphenylhydantoin was gradually increased from 325 to 625 mg/day, for most patients. Measures used were the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Nurses Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation, and the Crownsville Psychiatric Scale (parts I and II). Statistical analyses were done at four and eight weeks.

Patients on both diphenylhydantoin and the placebo deteriorated on most measures. Differences in favor of diphenylhydantoin were found for the BPRS variables, Hostility, and Thought Content. Optimal dosage of diphenylhydantoin appeared to be under 500 mg, daily, since retardation and blunted affect were more predominant with diphenylhydantoin at the highest dose levels. Indications were that men with high initial disorder scores, especially for hostility, responded best to diphenylhydantoin.

Author Affiliations
Crownsville, Md

From the Medical Research Department, Crownsville Hospital Center, Crownsville, Md.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication July 27, 1973.

Reprint requests to the Medical Research Department, Crownsville Hospital Center, Crownsville, MD 21032 (Dr. Pinto).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?