A control study of aripiprazole in the treatment for antipsychotics-induced hyperprolactinemia

OBJECTIVE To explore the effectiveness and safety of aripiprazole in long term treatment for schizophrenia patients with antipsychotics-induced hyperprolactinemia.METHODS 180 schizophrenia patients with antipsychotics-induced hyperprolactinemia were randomly assigned to aripiprazole group(n=90) and control group(n=90),which were observed more than 26 weeks.Aripiprazole group patients were additionally treated with aripiprazole(5 mg·d-1).Clinical global impression scale(CGIS) and the extrapyramidal symptoms rating scale(ESES) were administered,also prolactin(PRL),treatment discontinuation ratio and time to discontinuation(TTD) were recorded at the baseline time and the end of 2,4,12,26 weeks.RESULTS PRL of aripiprazole group showed significant decline at the end of 4 weeks,and arrived a stable state at the end of 8 weeks.PRL of control group there was no change.At the end of 26 weeks,the treatment discontinuation ratio of aripiprazole group was 11.1%,of control group was 31.1%.At the end of 52 weeks,the treatment discontinuation ratio of aripiprazole group was 57.8%,of control group was 76.7%.There was significant difference of TTD between aripiprazole group and control group[(297.3±92.6) d vs(193.5±103.1)d,t=6.86,P=0.001].CONCLUSION Combined a low dose aripiprazole to long term treatment for schizophrenia patient antipsychotics-induced hyperprolactinemia is effective and safe.