Acutely ill schizophrenic patients treated with loxapine. A clinical study in a community mental health center.
The efficacy and safety of loxapine oral concentrate were evaluated in 17 acutely ill schizophrenic patients at a community mental health center. During the four-week study, dosage was flexible to a maximum of 250 mg daily (mean daily dose, 176 mg). Psychiatric evaluations were made with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Systematic Nurses Observation of Psychopathology (SNOOP), and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale at baseline, after 48 hours of treatment, and then after one, two, three, and four weeks of medication. Mean BPRS total score results showed significant improvement from baseline (50% of the maximum possible) after treatment for one week. The improvement in mean BPRS total scores. The mean CGI scale out the study and reached a significant 63% of the maximum possible at week four. Changes from baseline in the mean SNOOP total scores were also significant and paralleled those of the BPRS total scores. The mean CGI scale results showed significant improvement from baseline at each measurement time. Eight patients experienced adverse reactions, the majority of which were reversible extrapyramidal effects. Laboratory tests and vital signs showed no remarkable changes during the study. Loxapine oral concentrate was an effective and safe medication in this series of acutely ill schizophrenic patients.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D003989:Dibenzoxazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008152:Loxapine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D003989:Dibenzoxazepines; D008152:Loxapine