title: Haloperidol in schizophrenic children: early findings from a study in progress.
abstract: This report presents preliminary findings in an ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the safety and efficacy of haloperidol in hospitalized schizophrenic children. The subjects are diagnosed schizophrenic by DSM-III-R criteria and admitted to the Bellevue Hospital Children's Inpatient Psychiatric Unit. The study is 10 weeks in duration and employs a crossover design. After a 2-week placebo baseline period, the subjects enter double-blind treatment for 8 weeks, by random assignment receiving either haloperidol for 4 weeks followed by placebo for 4 weeks, or alternatively, placebo for 4 weeks followed by haloperidol for 4 weeks. Dosage, regulated individually, ranges from 0.5 to 10.0 mg/day. To date, of an anticipated 20 subjects, 12 have completed the study. These children, 9 boys and 3 girls, were ages 5.5 to 11.75 years upon study entry. Haloperidol was superior to placebo for reduction of target symptoms with optimal haloperidol dose of 0.5 to 3.5 mg/day (0.02-0.12 mg/kg/day).
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, NY.
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kafantaris
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Padron-Gayol
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D006220:Haloperidol