D C Henderson1, D C Goff. 1. Erich Lindemann Mental Health Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Some treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients improve enough to remain out of the hospital but continue to have significant positive or negative symptoms. METHOD: The goal of this study was to assess the safety and potential efficacy of risperidone as an adjunct for schizophrenic patients treated with clozapine. In an open 4-week trial involving 12 DSM-III-R-diagnosed patients, the addition of risperidone to clozapine was well tolerated and did not affect serum clozapine concentrations significantly. RESULTS: Total Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores and subscales measuring positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and depressive symptoms were significantly reduced from baseline. Ten of 12 participants had a 20% or greater reduction in the total BPRS score. CONCLUSION: In this open trial, the addition of risperidone to clozapine was well tolerated and produced significant reduction of symptoms, suggesting that this may be a useful clinical approach. Because this was an open trial, the improvement we observed must be replicated in a controlled trial.
BACKGROUND: Some treatment-resistant schizophrenicpatients improve enough to remain out of the hospital but continue to have significant positive or negative symptoms. METHOD: The goal of this study was to assess the safety and potential efficacy of risperidone as an adjunct for schizophrenicpatients treated with clozapine. In an open 4-week trial involving 12 DSM-III-R-diagnosed patients, the addition of risperidone to clozapine was well tolerated and did not affect serum clozapine concentrations significantly. RESULTS: Total Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores and subscales measuring positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and depressive symptoms were significantly reduced from baseline. Ten of 12 participants had a 20% or greater reduction in the total BPRS score. CONCLUSION: In this open trial, the addition of risperidone to clozapine was well tolerated and produced significant reduction of symptoms, suggesting that this may be a useful clinical approach. Because this was an open trial, the improvement we observed must be replicated in a controlled trial.
Authors: Juan A Gallego; Jimmi Nielsen; Marc De Hert; John M Kane; Christoph U Correll Journal: Expert Opin Drug Saf Date: 2012-05-08 Impact factor: 4.250
Authors: William G Honer; Ric M Procyshyn; Eric Y H Chen; G William MacEwan; Alasdair M Barr Journal: J Psychiatry Neurosci Date: 2009-11 Impact factor: 6.186
Authors: David C Henderson; Xiaoduo Fan; Paul M Copeland; Bikash Sharma; Christina P Borba; Sharon I Forstbauer; Kate Miley; Ryan Boxill; Oliver Freudenreich; Corrine Cather; Anne E Evins; Donald C Goff Journal: Hum Psychopharmacol Date: 2009-04 Impact factor: 1.672