The results of meta-analyses: antipsychotics versus placebo/UC
| AP vs PLA/UC | N | n | I2 | SMD*/RR | 95% CI | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response rate at the study end point | HAL | 1 | 101 | NA | 0.18† | 0.09 to 0.35 | <0.00001 |
| OLA | 1 | 103 | NA | 0.25‡ | 0.15 to 0.44 | <0.00001 | |
| QUE | 1 | 36 | NA | 0.25 | 0.06 to 1.02 | 0.05 | |
| Pooled AP | 3 | 240 | 0 | 0.22§ | 0.15 to 0.34 | <0.00001 | |
| Delirium severity scale scores on the end point | HAL | 1 | 101 | NA | −1.64 | −2.13 to −1.15 | <0.00001 |
| OLA | 1 | 103 | NA | −2.14 | −2.66 to −1.61 | <0.00001 | |
| QUE | 1 | 41 | NA | −0.01 | −0.63 to 0.60 | 0.97 | |
| Pooled AP | 3 | 245 | 93 | −1.27 | −2.44 to −0.11 | 0.03 | |
| CGI-S on the end point | HAL | 1 | 101 | NA | −1.62 | −2.11 to −1.14 | <0.00001 |
| OLA | 1 | 103 | NA | −1.52 | −2.00 to −1.04 | <0.00001 | |
| Pooled AP | 2 | 204 | 0 | −1.57 | −1.91 to −1.23 | <0.00001 | |
| Time to response | HAL | 1 | 101 | NA | −1.11 | −1.56 to −0.65 | <0.00001 |
| OLA | 1 | 103 | NA | −1.35 | −1.81 to −0.88 | <0.00001 | |
| Pooled AP | 2 | 204 | 0 | −1.22 | −1.55 t0 −0.90 | <0.00001 | |
| Discontinuation rate | HAL | 2 | 176 | 0 | 1.10 | 0.26 to 4.66 | 0.90 |
| OLA | 1 | 105 | NA | 0.40 | 0.03 to 6.19 | 0.51 | |
| QUE | 1 | 41 | NA | 0.68 | 0.26 to 1.80 | 0.44 | |
| ZIP | 1 | 66 | NA | 0.24 | 0.01 to 4.79 | 0.35 | |
| Pooled AP | 5 | 388 | 0 | 0.70 | 0.33 to 1.47 | 0.34 | |
| Death | HAL | 2 | 176 | NA | 1.22 | 0.05 to 29.23 | 0.90 |
| OLA | 1 | 105 | NA | Not possible to estimate | |||
| QUE | 1 | 41 | NA | 2.86 | 0.32 to 25.24 | 0.34 | |
| ZIP | 1 | 66 | NA | Not possible to estimate | |||
| Pooled AP | 5 | 388 | 0 | 2.18 | 0.36 to 13.12 | 0.40 | |
| Sedation/somnolence/increased duration of sleep | HAL | 1 | 101 | NA | 13.56 | 0.84 to 218.86 | 0.07 |
| OLA | 1 | 103 | NA | 11.6 | 0.71 to 188.33 | 0.08 | |
| QUE | 1 | 36 | NA | 2.50 | 0.56 to 11.25 | 0.23 | |
| Pooled AP | 3 | 240 | 2 | 4.59¶ | 1.36 to 15.50 | 0.01 | |
| Dystonia | HAL | 1 | 101 | NA | 19.32** | 1.21 to 307.84 | 0.04 |
| OLA | 1 | 103 | NA | 2.00 | 0.10 to 40.44 | 0.65 | |
| Pooled AP | 2 | 204 | 27 | 6.66 | 0.61 to 72.09 | 0.12 | |
| Dry mouth | HAL | 1 | 101 | NA | 10.27 | 0.63 to 168.04 | 0.10 |
| OLA | 1 | 103 | NA | 16.4†† | 1.02 to 262.58 | 0.05 | |
| Pooled AP | 2 | 204 | 0 | 13.00‡‡ | 1.82 to 93.10 | 0.01 | |
Bold face indicates statistical significance (p value < 0.05).
*SMD values are italicised.
†NNT=2, 95% CI 1 to 3, p<0.00001.
‡NNT=2, 95% CI 1 to 3, p<0.00001.
§NNT=2, 95% CI 2 to 3, p<0.00001.
¶NNH=5, 95% CI 4 to 7, p<0.00001.
**NNH=3, 95% CI 2 to 5, p<0.00001.
††NNH=4, 95% CI 3 to 6, p<0.00001.
‡‡NNH=5, 95% CI 3 to 9, p<0.0001.
AP, antipsychotic; CGI-S, Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale; HAL, haloperidol; N, number of studies; n, number of patients; NA, not applicable; NNT/NNH, number-needed-to-treat/harm; OLA, olanzapine; PLA, placebo; QUE, quetiapine; RR, risk ratio; SMD, standardised mean difference; UC, usual care; ZIP, ziprasidone.