Risperidone: a real alternative to depot neuroleptic treated patients

Abstract

Objective: to determine the efficacy and tolerability of risperidone in schizophrenic outpatients.

Material and method: Design: multicentre, observational, 6 month follow-up study. Patients: 421 schizophrenic (ICD10 criteria) outpatients previously treated with depot neuroleptics and who were switched from depot medication to risperidone due to inefficacy and/or low tolerability. Assessment: BPRS, CGI, GAF, UKU, and DAI were administered at baseline and months 1, 3, and 6. Statistical analysis: the Wilcoxon’s T, Friedman’s test, and Cochran’s Q have been employed.

Results: Mean total dose of risperidone: 5.5 mg/d (SD 2.4). Scores on BPRS, CGI, GAF, UKU, DAI showed statistically significant improvements (p< 0.0001). Significant decrease in the proportion of patients using anticholinergic drugs to control extrapyramidal symptoms and in the rate of hospitalizations.

Conclusions: patients benefited from the change to risperidone in terms of efficacy, tolerance, compliance and admissions. Depot neuroleptic treated schizophrenic patients can benefit from treatment change to an ora l atypic antipsychotic like risperidone to ease compliance, illness outcome and patient community integration.