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Olanzapine in practice: a prospective naturalistic study

Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ

^* Correspondence

Aims and method The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the naturalistic use of olanzapine. Prescribers of olanzapine were asked to provide baseline and six-week Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores for 56 in-patients. Withdrawals from treatment were also noted.

Results Olanzapine was not effective in any of the 12 patients with refractory schizophrenia and four patients worsened. In 36 patients with non-refractory schizophrenia, 16 (44%) improved and 10 (28%) were categorised as treatment failures. Of eight patients with non-schizophrenic psychosis, only one improved and two were treatment failures.

Clinical implications Olanzapine is effective in treating non-refractory schizophrenia, but appears to have no beneficial effect in refractory schizophrenia.