Schizophrenia is a debilitating and cronic disease for which full recovery is typically not considered to be a realistic treatment endpoint. Symptomatic remission, however, may be an objectively attainable treatment goal.

We wanted to assess remission rates over 52 weeks in patients with schizophrenia treated with ziprasidone

Remission rates were calculated using data from a 52 week study in which patients diagnosed with acute schizophrenia were stabilized with ziprasidone (n=30, dose 120-140mg/day) For this analysis, remission was operationalized according to the consensus-based symptomatic remission criteria established by the Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group. Accordingly, patients were required to achievescores Syndrome Scale (PANSS) items (delusions, unusual thought content, hallucinatory behavior, conceptual disorganization, mannerisms/posturing, blunted affect, social withdrawal, lack of spontaneity) and to maintainthe item score threshold for at least 6 consecutive months.

Thirty-seven percent of ziprasidone treated patients satisfied the criteria for symptomatic remission within the 52-week trial period. Approximately 7% of patientslost their remission status prior to the end of thetrial, with mean time in remission of 6.5 months. Forty-six percent of patients never met the PANSS item threshold. During the 52-week study, few patients discontinued due to adverse events other than worsening of symptoms(7%) or received concomitant medication for EPS (18%)

Nearly one third of the patients treated with ziprasidone achieved remission status within 6 months. Most patients who achieved remission remained in remission for more than 9 months until trial termination. Overall CGI-Is of these patients were significantly better than for patients without remission.