A study in the female first-episode schizophrenia treated with Aripiprazole and Quetiapine

Objective:To compare efficacy and safety of Aripiprazole and Quetiapine in the treatment of female first-episode schizophrenia. Methods:The randomized,double blind,double dummy parallel controlled was designed for this study,All the cases were diagnosed as schizophrenia in accordance with the CCMD-3 diagnosis standard and randomized into two groups which were treated with Aripiprazole or Quetiapine for 8 weeks. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS),Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and Treatment Emergent Side effect Scale (TESS) were used to evaluate efficacy and adverse effects respectively before and at the ends of 2、4、8 weeks treatment.Results:101 adult female first-episode schizophrenia patients were recruited in this study. The remission rates of Aripiprazole was 38.0% and the significant efficacy rate was 66.0% after 8 weeks while that was 35.3% and 66.7% in Quetiapine group. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P0.05). The incidence rate of adverse effect was 33.3% in Aripiprazole group and that was 35.2% in Quetiapine group,without any significant difference between them (P0.05). The adverse effect either in Aripiprazole group or in Quetiapine group was drowsiness (14.8%vs19.6%),dizziness and faint (11.1% vs 12.9%). There was no significant difference between the two groups (P0.05). The rate of nausea and vomiting,headache in Aripiprazole group was higher than that in Quetiapine group(12.9% vs 1.9%,P0.05 ; 16.7% vs 1.9%,P0.01),The rate of dry mouth,decrease of appetite or anorexia in Quetiapine group was higher than that in Aripiprazole group(14.8% vs 1.9%,P0.05 ;14.8% vs 1.9% ,P0.05). Both drugs showed low extrapyramidal symptoms,less endocrine change,less weight gain and have not found amenorrhea galactorrhea syndrome during treatment.Conclusions:The results suggest that Aripiprazole is as effective as Quetiapine for the treatment of female first-episode schizophrenia and fewer side effects in them ,Although two drugs have different or the same side effects profile,They both are efficacy and safety antipsychotic drugs in treatment of female first-episode schizophrenia. They are beneficial to improve the therapeutic compliance of female first-episode schizophrenia patients.