Protocol: Treatment-resistant schizophrenia criteria. A systematic review

Treatment-resistant schizophrenia, also known as refractory schizophrenia, is a severe and debilitating form of chronic psychotic disorder. It is characterized by persistent and disabling symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, thought disorders, and social withdrawal that do not improve significantly with conventional treatments. The criteria for determining treatment-resistant schizophrenia vary according to clinical guidelines but generally, these involve a lack of adequate response to at least two different antipsychotic medications, administered at appropriate doses and for a sufficient period of time. These antipsychotics can be either first-generation or second-generation. Diagnosing treatment-resistant schizophrenia can be challenging due to various reasons, such as patient non-compliance with medication, an inadequate dosing, or the presence of comorbidities that may interfere with the expected treatment response.