Abstract
The UK700 trial failed to demonstrate an overall benefit of intensive case management (ICM) in patients with severe psychotic illness. This does not discount a benefit for particular subgroups, and evidence of a benefit of ICM for patients of borderline intelligence has been presented. The aim of this study is to investigate whether this effect is part of a general benefit for patients with severe psychosis complicated by additional needs. In the UK700 trial patients with severe psychosis were randomly allocated to ICM or standard case management. For each patient group with complex needs the effect of ICM is compared with that in the rest of the study cohort. Outcome measures are days spent in psychiatric hospital and the admission and discharge rates. ICM may be of benefit to patients with severe psychosis complicated by borderline intelligence or depression, but may cause patients using illicit drugs to spend more time in hospital. There was no convincing evidence of an effect of ICM in a further seven patient groups. ICM is not of general benefit to patients with severe psychosis complicated by additional needs. The benefit of ICM for patients with borderline intelligence is an isolated effect which should be interpreted cautiously until further data are available.
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Acknowledgements
Chris Metcalfe wrote this paper whilst funded as a UK National Health Service and Medical Research Council Fellow in Health Services Research and whilst in receipt of a Raymond and Beverley Sackler Studentship from the University of Cambridge. Professors Tom Burns, Francis Creed, and Peter Tyrer coordinated the UK700 study at the centres from which data were obtained for the present study. All three provided useful comments on earlier drafts of this paper.
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Metcalfe, C., White, I.R., Weaver, T. et al. Intensive case management for severe psychotic illness: is there a general benefit for patients with complex needs?. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 40, 718–724 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0954-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0954-6