Subjective response as a predictor of outcome in pharmacotherapy: the consumer has a point

Forty-two newly admitted patients with a schizophrenic illness were given a test dose of chlorpromazine, and their subjective response was graded on a euphoric-dysphoric continuum. Subjective response at 4, 24, and 48 hours after the test dose was significantly correlated with the subsequent outcome of a therapeutic course of treatment with chlorpromazine, as measured by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Global Assessment Scale, and a write-in symptom scale. An early dysphoric response to chlorpromazine seemed to augur a poor prognosis for further treatment with the drug. These findings suggest that the subjective response to a test dose of chlorpromazine may be a useful predictor of short-term symptomatic outcome.