The effect of vitamin E addition to acute neuroleptic treatment on the emergence of extrapyramidal side effects in schizophrenic patients: an open label study.
The anti-oxidant vitamin E has been reported to be effective in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. The present open label study examined the effect of supplemental therapy with vitamin E on acute extrapyramidal symptoms and cell enzymes in patients receiving neuroleptic drugs. Thirty-nine hospitalized schizophrenic patients were randomly assigned to two groups: group 1 (n = 20) was treated with neuroleptics, and group 2 (n = 19) with neuroleptics combined with a fixed dose of vitamin E (600 IU/day), administered for two weeks. All patients were assessed with the Simpson-Angus Rating Scale (Simpson and Angus, 1970) for neuroleptic induced Parkinsonism (NIP), Barnes' Akathisia Scale (Barnes, 1989), and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale: laboratory parameters included serum creatine kinase (CK) activity, serum glutamate oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and white blood cell count (WBC). The addition of vitamin E to neuroleptic agents was associated with a trend (p = 0.08) towards prevention of the emergence of NIP compared to neuroleptic treatment alone. Addition of vitamin E to neuroleptics may reduce the severity of acute NIP in schizophrenic patients.
Dorfman-Etrog
P
P
Geha Psychiatric Hospital and Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
Hermesh
H
H
Prilipko
L
L
Weizman
A
A
Munitz
H
H
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010302:Parkinson Disease, Secondary / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D014810:Vitamin E