J P Zhao

Dr J P Zhao, Second Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, China; wurenrong2005@yahoo.com.cn

STUDY DESIGN

Design:

randomised placebo controlled trial.

Allocation concealment:

concealed.*

Blinding:

blinded (data collectors, {patients, data analysts, safety committee, and manuscript writers}†).*

STUDY QUESTION

Setting:

schizophrenia outpatient clinic in China.

Patients:

128 patients 18–45 years of age (mean age 26 y, 50% men) who were diagnosed with a first psychotic episode of schizophrenia, gained >10% of predrug weight in year 1 of antipsychotic treatment (clozapine, olanzapine, sulpiride, or risperidone), were taking only 1 antipsychotic with ⩽25% change in dose in the past 3 months, first attended the clinic or were discharged from an inpatient unit <1 year before enrolment, had relatively stable improvement (Positive and Negative Symptom Scale total score ⩽60), and had an adult caregiver who could monitor adherence. Exclusion criteria …