A Randomized, Placebo - controlled Clinical Trial of Combined Citalopram and Clozapine in the Treatment of Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Objective: To observe the efficacy and safety of citalopram combined with clozapine in the treatment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Methods: In this double - blinded, placebo -controlled clinical trial, 61 in-patients with schizophrenia were randomized to Group A treated with citalopram and clozapine and Group B with clozapine and placebo. Efficacy and safety were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Treatment Emergent Symptoms Scale (TESS) respectively before and 3, 6, 9, 12 weeks after treatment. Results; More patients in group A improved significantly than in group B (56.7% vs 25. 8% , X2 = 6. 00, P = 0. 014) . Since week 3, the total score, Negative Symptom subscale score and General Pathology subscale score were lower than those in group B (P 0. 05 or P 0. 01) . The difference of Positive Syndrome subscale score between two groups was not statistically significant. The rate of side effects in both groups were similar. Conclusion: The combined citalopram and clozapine is more effective than Clozapine in the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia while it does not increase the rate of side effects.