Adjunctive intranasal oxytocin for schizophrenia: A meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials

Abstract

Objective: Findings on the efficacy of intranasal oxytocin (IN-OT) in schizophrenia have been inconsistent. This meta-analysis of double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examined the efficacy and tolerability of adjunctive IN-OT in the treatment of schizophrenia. Methods: Standardized mean differences or risk ratios (SMDs or RRs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to synthesize the results of studies included in the meta-analysis. Results: Ten RCTs (n = 344) with 172 schizophrenia subjects on adjunctive IN-OT [range = 40–80 International Units (IU)/day] and 172 schizophrenia subjects on adjunctive placebo over 2–16 weeks were included. No significant differences reg..