Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

CAFE results (Medications Research) Announced

Medscape reported recently that the researchers on the CAFE study on schizophrenia medications have reported on their study results.

CAFE Study Shows Varying Benefits Among Atypical Antipsychotics

Oct. 25, 2005 (Amsterdam) — Although all of the atypical antipsychotic agents preserve neurocognitive function, they vary in terms of the specific domains they influence, said Richard S. E. Keefe, PhD, who presented study findings here at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 18th Congress.

Because of this intraclass variation, "it's important to take these data...and target individualized medicine for these patients, and make sure patients have access to all of these medications, because each patient will respond differently," Dr. Keefe said at the late-breaking presentation. Dr. Keefe is an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.

The study, Comparison of Atypicals for First-Episode Psychosis (CAFE), involved 26 centers in the U.S. and Canada, and it recruited patients who were experiencing their first psychotic episode. The investigators attempted to determine whether there were any advantages among the antipsychotic agents for first-episode patients because such patients typically respond well to treatment, but they often discontinue treatment and therefore have recurrent episodes that are less easy to treat.

For the full report on this conference presentation, see the following medscape article (free registration required):
CAFE Study Shows Varying Benefits Among Atypical Antipsychotics