Clinical study of therapeutic effects of aripiprazole in treatment of patients with schizophrenia

AIM:To evaluate the therapeutic effects and the safety of aripiprazole in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. METHODS:80 schizophrenic patients were randomly divided into two groups. Aripiprazole group was treated with 10-20 mg·d~(-1) aripiprazole, po, qd. Clozapine group was treated with clozapine 300-500 mg·d~(-1), po, bid. Clinical effects were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for 8 weeks. Clinical effects were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and side effects were assessed with the Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) in following 8 weeks. RESULTS:Reduction rate in PANSS total scores in ariprazole group was 50.4%, and the efficacy was 87.5%. Reduction rate in PANSS total scores in clozapine group was 49.4%, and the efficacy was 85%. The therapeutic effects were similar in the two groups (P0.05). There were some side effects such as EPS (17.5%), headache (12.5%), nausea and vomiting (10%) in aripiprazole group, but they were milder, and the blood and glycometabolism was normal. There was no significant difference in two groups. Compared with the too much sedation (37.5%), secretion of parotid gland (45%), constipation (25%), gain weight (25%) in clozapine group, there was a significant difference in two groups (P0.05 or P0.01). CONCLUSION:Aripiprazole is a safety and efficacy drug in treatment of patients with schizophrenia.