Testing decision-making competency of schizophrenia 


participants in clinical trials. A meta-analysis and meta-regression

Authors: Sorin Hostiuc1(sorin.hostiuc@umfcd.ro), Mugurel Constantin Rusu1, Ionuț Negoi1, Eduard Drima2
1. Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania, 2. University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Galați, Romania
Aim. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the degree of impairment of decision-making capacity in schizophrenia patients
compared to non-mentally-ill controls, as determined by the MacCAT-CR instrument.
Materials and Methods. We analyzed the results obtained from three databases: ISI Web of Science, Pubmed, and Scopus. Each
database was scrutinized using the following keywords: “MacCAT-CR + schizophrenia”, “decision-making capacity +
schizophrenia”, and “informed consent + schizophrenia.”
Results
Testing decision-making competency of schizophrenia participants in clinical
trials. A meta-analysis and meta-regression

By running a meta-regression using mean age for the

schizophrenia group as a covariate, we found a slight
decrease in understanding with growing age, but the
result was not statistically significant (B=-1.51,
Z=-1.75, p=0.08)..
By running a meta-regression using mean age for the
schizophrenia group as a covariate, we found a
significant decrease in appreciation with growing age
(B=1.07, Z=-2.78, p=0.005). Increasing the percentage
of men between the comparison and the control group
(B=-0.87, Z=-10.30, p<0.001), and increasing the
inpatient rate (B=-0.71 Z=-5.65, p<0.001) also
significantly decreased DMC in schizophrenia subjects.
By running a meta-regression using mean age for the
schizophrenia group as covariate we found a slight
decrease in reasoning with increasing age, but the result
was not statistically significant B=-1.30, Z=-1.72,
p=0.21). The parameter was significantly affected when
the difference in the percentage of men in cases versus
control group increased (B=-1.00, Z=-5.15, p<0.001),
and when the proportion of inpatients increased
(B=-0.77, Z=-2.36, p=0.01).
By running a meta-regression using mean age for the
schizophrenia group as covariate we found a slight
decrease in the aptitude to express a choice with
increasing age, but the result was not statistically
significant (B=-1.10, Z=-1.66, p=0.10). This parameter
was significantly affected when the differential between
men percentage in cases and control group increased
(B=-0.53, Z=-3.67, p=0.0002), and when the proportion Conclusions
of inpatients increased (B=-0.08, Z=-2.23, p=0.02). Even if schizophrenia patients have a significantly decreased DMC
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