Efficacy of Long-term Treatment with Risperidone in Treatment-Resistant Patients with Schizophrenia

Lee, Hong Shick; Kim, Chan Hyung; Jon, Duk In; Jeon, Ji Yong; Song, Dong Ho

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This open prospective study was performed to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of risperidone in the treatment-resistant patient with chronic schizophrenia who had completed a 8-week short-term trial. METHOD: Fourteen patients with treatment-resistant chronic schizophrenia(DSM-IV), who had been previously treated with at least two different kinds of typical antipsychotic drugs but with insufficient clinical effects or who experienced distressing extrapyramidal side effects, were evaluated over a 48-week risperidone treatment period. Efficacy was assessed by the PANSS and the CGI, and its safety by the ESRS and the UKU side effect rating scale. Both were assessed at 8-week intervals. RESULT: Nine(four males and five females) of the fourteen patients completed the study. Overall, PANSS score for the entire period showed an improvement when compared with the baseline state. The pronounced improvement in CGI severity was seen between the 8th and 16th week, continued until endpoint. Of fourteen patients, eleven(78.6%) patients showed at least a 20% decrease in total PANSS scores on endpoint analysis. Transiently-observed extrapyramidal side effects following medication were akathisia(n=3), bradykinesia(n=3), and sialorrhea(n=2). Early UKU side effects included; increased dream activity, sedation, amenorrhea, and concentration difficulty. These were common but transient with the exception of amenorrhea. Three of the four patients with amenorrhea did not resume menses throughout the study.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that risperidone is a safe antipsychotic drug with long-term efficacy against both the positive and negative symptoms in the treatment of treatment-resistant schizophrenia.