A control study of risperidone oral solution in treating first-episode schizophrenia patients in acute phase

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of risperidone oral solution in the treatment of patients on the acute phase with first-episode schizophrenia. Method:96 schizophrenia patients were randomly assigned to the group treated with risperidone oral solution group (n=49) and the other group treated with clozapine (n=47),respectively for 4 weeks.The positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) and clinical global impressions-severity of illness rating scale(CGI-SI) were used to rate the efficacy;the treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) was used to measure side effects and the compliance scale was used to assess the subjects' compliance with the treatment. Results:Both risperidone and clozapine group significantly showed score decrease on PANSS and CGI-SI after 4 weeks (P0.01),but no significant difference was found between two groups (P0.05).Excitement,hostility,uncooperativeness and poor impulse control of PANSS significantly decreased more in risperidone oral solution group than in clozapine group from 4th day on (P0.05).The incidence of adverse events in the risperidone group was lower than clozapine group (P0.05).The subjects' compliance with the medication in risperidone group significantly was higher than that in clozapine group at Day 4,Day 28,month 3 and 6 (P0.05). Conclusion:Risperidone oral solution shows the similar efficacy to clozapine in treatment of patients with first-episode schizophrenia in acute phase;works faster in ameliorating the symptoms such as excitement and hostility and shows more safety and compliance.