title: Aripiprazole for schizophrenia. Systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic that is reported to be effective in the treatment of schizophrenia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of aripiprazole on patients with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like psychoses by conducting a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Database and manual searches and direct contact were used to identify relevant RCTs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 10 randomised controlled studies (involving a total of 4125 patients), but study attrition was large and the standard of data reporting was poor. Compared with placebo, aripiprazole treatment was associated with a significant decrease in relapse rates, increased compliance with the study protocol, and a decrease in prolactin levels below the expected values. Compared with risperidone, aripiprazole caused less elevation of prolactin levels and less prolongation of the average QTc interval.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aripiprazole has been licensed despite the fact that few reliable data on this drug are publicly available. It may be effective for treatment of schizophrenia, but in terms of tolerability and global outcomes it shows little difference from existing antipsychotics.
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Psychiatry, University of Leeds, UK. hany.el-sayeh@chrd-pct.nhs.uk
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: El-Sayeh
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morganti
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D015363:Quinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D011388:Prolactin