Amisulpride as adjunct to clozapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: An open-label pilot study
Date
2006
Authors
Koen L.
Niehaus D.J.
Schulte A.
Muller J.
Emsley R.
Oosthulzen P.
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Abstract
Background. Although clozapine is the treatment of choice for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, many patients remain symptomatic despite adequate treatment with this medication. One suggested strategy to improve efficacy has been the addition of a potent D2 blocker such as amisulpride to treatment with clozapine. Methods. In this study, 20 subjects who were treatment-resistant to conventional antipsychotics and who were still symptomatic despite adequate treatment with clozapine received amisulpride as adjunctive treatment. After baseline assessment all subjects were titrated to amisulpride 400 mg per day and then reassessed after 8 weeks by a blinded rater. Results. Analysis showed statistically significant improvements in PANSS (Positive and Negative Symptom Scale) total score (t = 3.49, df = 18, p = 0.003), PANSS negative subscale score (t = 3.22, df = 18, p = 0.005), and PANSS depression factor score (t = 3.89, df = 19, p = 0.001). Discussion. This study suggests that addition of the second-generation antipsychotic amisulpride to a stable treatment regimen with clozapine may offer additional benefits in terms of negative and depressive symptoms.
Description
Keywords
amisulpride, clozapine, haloperidol, lithium carbonate, phenytoin, valproic acid, adult, article, clinical article, clinical trial, controlled clinical trial, controlled study, depression, dose response, drug efficacy, drug potentiation, extrapyramidal symptom, female, human, male, pilot study, randomized controlled trial, rating scale, schizoaffective psychosis, schizophrenia, scoring system, statistical significance, symptomatology
Citation
South African Journal of Psychiatry
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