title: Risperidone in the treatment of first episode psychosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of risperidone in Singapore patients with first-episode psychosis in an eight-week open label prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Previously untreated male and female patients aged 18 - 65 with DSM IV schizophreniform disorder or DSM IV schizophrenia for no longer than 12 months were recruited from Woodbridge Hospital and Geylang Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic. Patients were treated with risperidone for 56 days. Outcome was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI). Safety was assessed by monitoring of vital signs and by comparing the frequency of adverse events (AEs) before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  24 patients with a mean age of 33.29+/-9.12 years and a mean duration of illness of 166.5+/-111.4 days (median 180 days) were included. The mean risperidone dosage was 2.7 mg +/- 1.0 at day 56. Mean PANSS total scores reduced by 50.21% from 88.29+/-21.55 at baseline to 43.96+/-7.5 at endpoint (p < 0.001). The responder rate (> or = 20% reduction in the total PANSS score) was 87.5%. 13 patients (54.2%) exhibited a 50% or greater reduction in total PANSS score. Except for item G5 (mannerisms and posturing) all single PANSS items were reduced significantly. The CGI scores of all patients improved at endpoint. No serious adverse events were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall the therapy of first-episode psychosis patients with risperidone was effective and safe.
authors.affiliation: Woodbridge Hospital & Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahendran
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Liow
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phang
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tiong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017327:Clinical Trials, Phase IV as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018967:Risperidone