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Stefan Leucht talks with
ScienceWatch.com and answers a few questions about
this month's New Hot Paper in the field of
Psychiatry/Psychology.
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Article Title: A Meta-Analysis of Head-to-Head
Comparisons of Second-Generation Antipsychotics in the
Treatment of
Schizophrenia
Authors: Leucht, S;Komossa, K;Rummel-Kluge,
C;Corves, C;Hunger, H;Schmid, F;Lobos, CA;Schwarz, S;Davis,
JM
Journal: AMER J PSYCHIAT, Volume: 166, Issue: 2, Page: 152-163,
Year: FEB 2009
* Tech Univ Munich, Klinikum Rechts Isar, Dept Psychiat &
Psychotherapy, Ismaningerstr 22, D-81675 Munich, Germany.
* Tech Univ Munich, Klinikum Rechts Isar, Dept Psychiat &
Psychotherapy, D-81675 Munich, Germany.
(addresses have been
truncated.)
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Why do you think your paper is highly
cited?
The topic is very important for clinicians. There is a heated debate
whether second-generation antipsychotic drugs differ in efficacy. We found
that there are some differences. This also challenges a psychiatric dogma
that all antipsychotic drugs are equally efficacious.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
It's mainly a synthesis of knowledge, but in part, also a new
discovery—antipsychotic drugs differ in efficacy.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper
in layman's terms?
The meta-analysis showed that some second generation antipsychotic drugs
are somewhat more efficacious than others. Although the differences were
not very big, this finding challenges a dogma that all antipsychotic drugs
are equally efficacious.
How did you become involved in this research, and
were there any problems along the way?
I got interested in evidence-based medicine more than 10 years ago and
remained fascinated by it ever since. There was an initial skepticism
towards systematic reviews and meta-analyses, but nowadays these are
accepted methods.
Where do you see your research leading in the
future?
I want to follow up on evidence-based medicine, but enter into an even more
global perspective.
Do you foresee any social or political
implications for your research?
Generally, these findings are important for decision-makers and thus,
theoretically, can have an important impact.
Stefan Leucht, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Munich, Germany
KEYWORDS: CLINICAL-TRIALS; ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS; DOSE-RESPONSE;
CLOZAPINE.
