OBJECTIVE: This study was to evaluate the effects on clinical symptoms and cognitive function of switching the treatment of elderly patients with schizophrenia from risperidone to paliperidone (PAL). METHODS: This study was a 12-weeks, preliminary open-label trial. The subjects were 17 inpatients. Their extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) were assessed using the Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale (DIEPSS), Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), and Barnes Akathisia Scale (BAS), and their cognitive function was assessed using the Brief Assessment Cognition in Schizophrenia: Japanese language version (BACS-J), and their clinical symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity of illness scale (CGI-S) at the 0 and 12 weeks. RESULTS: The DIEPSS and BAS significantly improved after switching from risperidone to PAL. Furthermore, improvement was found on AIMS. The mean change from baseline in z-score of the digit sequencing task was significantly increased. All items on the PANSS and CGI-S were not significant; however, changes in some cognitive function were correlated with changes in EPS. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest the possibility that switching elderly patients from risperidone to PAL may have improved pre-existing EPS, and may also have helped improve working memory.
OBJECTIVE: This study was to evaluate the effects on clinical symptoms and cognitive function of switching the treatment of elderly patients with schizophrenia from risperidone to paliperidone (PAL). METHODS: This study was a 12-weeks, preliminary open-label trial. The subjects were 17 inpatients. Their extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) were assessed using the Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale (DIEPSS), Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), and Barnes Akathisia Scale (BAS), and their cognitive function was assessed using the Brief Assessment Cognition in Schizophrenia: Japanese language version (BACS-J), and their clinical symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity of illness scale (CGI-S) at the 0 and 12 weeks. RESULTS: The DIEPSS and BAS significantly improved after switching from risperidone to PAL. Furthermore, improvement was found on AIMS. The mean change from baseline in z-score of the digit sequencing task was significantly increased. All items on the PANSS and CGI-S were not significant; however, changes in some cognitive function were correlated with changes in EPS. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest the possibility that switching elderly patients from risperidone to PAL may have improved pre-existing EPS, and may also have helped improve working memory.