A clinical trial of adjuvant allopurinol therapy for moderately refractory schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol as an adjuvant treatment for patients with moderately refractory schizophrenia, with the objective of increasing the endogenous pool of purines, including the neuro-modulator adenosine.


METHODS
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial of add-on allopurinol (300 mg b.i.d.) for poorly responsive schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV criteria) was conducted. Thirty-five patients were enrolled, of whom 22 completed the 12 weeks of the study. Eighteen of these patients also completed a P50 evoked potential evaluation.


RESULTS
Allopurinol was well tolerated and produced significant improvement in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total, positive, negative, and general scores, particularly for positive symptoms compared with baseline and with placebo phase. Nine patients improved more than 20% in PANSS total score during allopurinol treatment, whereas none responded in the placebo phase. Responders had a shorter duration of illness than nonresponders. P50 auditory sensory gating failed to improve with allopurinol treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Allopurinol was an effective and well-tolerated adjuvant treatment for poorly responsive schizophrenia, especially for refractory positive symptoms.
Brunstein
Miriam G
MG
Department of Biochemistry, Health Basic Science Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Ghisolfi
Eduardo S
ES
Ramos
Fernanda L P
FL
Lara
Diogo R
DR
D000328:Adult; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010919:Placebos; D000493:Allopurinol; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase