Comparison of efficacy and safety of aripiprazole and quetiapine in the treatment of schizophrenia

ObjectiveTo compare efficacy and safety of aripiprazole and quetiapine in the treatment of schizophrenia.Methods 80 adult patients were recruited in this study. All the cases were diagnosed as schizophrenia inaccordance 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 2,4,8weeks treatment. ResultsThe significant efficacy rates of aripiprazole was 65.0% and the efficacy ratewas 90.0% after 8 weeks while that was 60.0% and 87.5% in quetiapine group . There was no significant difference between the two groups(P0.05).The incidence rate of adverse effect was 35.00% in aripiprazole group and that was 37.50% in quetiapine group ,without any significant difference between them(P0.05). The adverse effect either in aripiprazole group or in quetiapine group was drowsiness(15.00%:20.00%),dizziness and faint (12.5%:15.00%). 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(15.00%:2.50% P0.05 , 10.00%:2.50% P0.05),. The rate of dry mouth ,decrease of appetite or anorexia in quetiapine group was higher than that in aripiprazole group (10.00%:2.50% P0.05 , 10.00%:2.50% P0.05).ConclusionThe results suggest that aripiprazole is as effective as quetiapine for the treatment of sihizophrenia and fewer side effects in them ,Although two drugs have different or the same side effects. They both are efficacy and safety antipsychotic drugs in treatment of sihizophrenia .They are beneficial to improve the therapeutic compliance of schizophrenic patients.