Table 2 Rationale provided in primary studies for the selection of patients with disease duration under a particular threshold
From: Diverse definitions of the early course of schizophrenia—a targeted literature review
Rationale based on prior experience and evidence | Rationale linked to study methodology |
|---|---|
Prior evidence for the time at which schizophrenia reaches a plateau during the first 5 years92 | Duration period reduced to minimise confounding due to variation in disease duration and time on antipsychotic therapy42,45,52,63,154 |
The majority of the deterioration in psychosocial functioning occurs within the first 3 years93 | Duration period extended to increase the number of eligible participants169 |
Most functional disability occurs within the first 5 years of the disease164 | Duration period chosen to maintain consistency with another trial32 |
Minimum duration of follow-up for first-episode studies should be 2 years150 | |
Patients with adolescent onset of schizophrenia and duration less than 3 years are believed to be in a ‘critical period’152 | |
Progression of the disease might occur predominantly in the first 5 years34 |
