Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci.  2019 Aug;17(3):423-431. 10.9758/cpn.2019.17.3.423.

Switching Antipsychotics to Blonanserin in Patients with Schizophrenia: An Open-label, Prospective, Multicenter Study

• Woo YS
• Yoon BH
• Jeon BH
• Seo JS
• Nam B
• Lee SY
• Jae YM
• Jang SH
• Eun HJ
• Won SH
• Lee K
• Lee J
• Bahk WM

• KMID: 2457406
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2019.17.3.423

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of blonanserin in schizophrenic patients who were previously treated with other antipsychotics but, due to insufficient response, were switched to blonanserin.
METHODS
A total of 52 patients with schizophrenia who were unresponsive to treatment with antipsychotic monotherapy or combination therapy were recruited into this 12-week, open-label, prospective, multicenter study. Patients were switched to blonanserin from their existing antipsychotics over a maximum 2-week tapering-off period. Efficacy was primarily evaluated using the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Assessments were performed at baseline, and at weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12.
RESULTS
Switching to blonanserin resulted in a significant decrease in the mean total score on the BPRS from baseline (56.8 ± 9.4) to week 12 (42.1 ± 13.8, p < 0.001). The most common adverse events were extrapyramidal symptoms (n = 12, 23.1%), insomnia (n = 10, 19.2%), and emotional arousal (n = 6, 11.5%). Overweight or obese patients (body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m2, n = 33) who switched to blonanserin exhibited significant weight loss from 75.2 ± 9.3 kg at baseline to 73.5 ± 9.2 kg at week 12 (p = 0.006). The total cholesterol (baseline, 236.1 ± 47.6 mg/dl; endpoint [week 12], 209.9 ± 28.0 mg/dl; p = 0.005) and prolactin levels (baseline, 80.0 ± 85.2 ng/ml; endpoint [week 12], 63.2 ± 88.9 ng/ml; p = 0.003) were also significantly improved in patients with hypercholesterolemia or hyperprolactinemia.
CONCLUSION
The results of the present study suggest that switching to blonanserin may be an effective strategy for schizophrenic patients unresponsive to other antipsychotic treatments.

Keyword

Blonanserin; Treatment outcome; Prolactin; Body weight

MeSH Terms

Antipsychotic Agents*
Arousal
Body Weight
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale
Cholesterol
Humans
Hypercholesterolemia
Hyperprolactinemia
Overweight
Prolactin
Prospective Studies*
Schizophrenia*
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Treatment Outcome
Weight Loss
Antipsychotic Agents
Cholesterol
Prolactin