title: Therapeutic effects of bromperidol on the five dimensions of schizophrenic symptoms.
abstract: Therapeutic profiles of bromperidol and their relationship with plasma drug concentration and prolactin response were investigated in 30 acutely exacerbated schizophrenic patients treated with randomly allocated fixed-doses of bromperidol (6, 12 or 18 mg/day) for 3 weeks. The mean values (+/- S.D.) of percentage improvement at 3 weeks in total Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and five subgrouped symptoms were 59.8+/-29.2% for total, 64.6+/-37.5% for positive, 73.3+/-33.7% for excitement, 80.2+/-45.5% for cognitive, 43.1+/-46.5% for negative and 49.6+/-46.8% for anxiety-depression symptoms, respectively. Twenty (67%) of 30 patients were responders defined as having 50% or more symptom reduction significantly greater in responders than those in nonresponders after 2 weeks. Mean plasma bromperidol concentration in patients with 50% or more reduction in positive symptoms was significantly higher than in the others (8.2+/-4.7 vs. 4.1+/-1.8 ng/ml, P< .05). Percentage improvement in total BPRS at 1 and 2 weeks were correlated well with that at 3 weeks. These findings suggest that an early improvement in positive and anxiety-depression symptoms results in favorable outcome of total response to bromperidol treatment. Plasma drug monitoring may have a limited predictive value for improvement in positive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hirosaki University, Shool of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yasui-Furukori
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Hanako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furukori
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Sunao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006220:Haloperidol; C006820:bromperidol