Efficacy of Trazodone in Treatment of Schizophrenia with Anxious Symptoms

Objective To study the therapeutic effect of trazodone on anxious symptoms,disease condition and social function of schizophrenic patients.Methods Sixty-one schizophrenic patients with anxiety symptoms were selected and randomly divided into two groups: treated group(n=31) and control group(n=30).Both groups were treated with the same antipsychotic drugs,while the treated group was added with trazodone.Severity of anxious symptoms of each patient was assessed with Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),schizophrenic severity with Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale(BPRS) and social functions with Personal and Social Performance scale(PSP) before the treatment and at the ends of the 4th and 8th weeks after the treatment.Results At the end of the 8th week after the treatment,HAMA total scores of treated group and control group were(15.32±4.13) and(17.97±3.54);somatic-anxiety factor scores were(7.32±2.86) and(9.10±2.55)(P0.05);BPRS total scores were(32.45±3.33) and(34.77±4.63)(P0.05);anxiety-depression factor scores were(8.48±0.81) and(10.90±2.03)(P0.01);PSP scores were(70.55±5.21) and(66.17±6.07)(P0.01).Conclusion Trazodone can alleviate anxious symptoms and disease condition,and improve social function of schizophrenic patients with anxiety symptoms.