title: [Comparative evaluation of quality of life in patients with schizophrenia treated with conventional versus atypical neuroleptics: results of a transversal study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The World Health Organization has defined quality of life as "the perception of an individual, his/her place in life, in the context of the culture and the system of values in which he/she lives and in relation to his/her objectives, expectations, standards and concerns". The quality of life of the schizophrenic patients has been largely studied for the evaluation of their medical, social and therapeutic needs. The impact of neuroleptics, in particular atypical neuroleptics, on the subjective quality of life of these patients remains to be specified. The aim of this study was to compare the subjective quality of life of schizophrenic patients treated with classical neuroleptics (CN) or atypical neuroleptics (AN).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients meeting DSM IV criteria for the diagnosis of schizophrenia (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) were included in the study. Sixty-four schizophrenic patients were treated with CN and thirty-six with AN. The symptomatology of the patients was assessed using the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale, (PANSS, Kay et al., 1987) and the Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome (SDS, Kirkpatrick et al., 1989). The extra-pyramidal symptoms were assessed using the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (Chouinard et al., 1980). The Subjective quality of life was studied using the Lehman Quality of Life Interview (QOLI, Lehman, 1988) translated and validated in France.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients treated by CN did not differ from the patients treated by AN in terms of severity of the positive and negative symptoms. The patients treated with AN presented significantly less extrapyramidal side effects than the patients treated with CN. No significant difference in terms of quality of life was found between both groups of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The kind of neuroleptic (CN vs AC) does not seem to influence the quality of subjective life of schizophrenic patients.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacie Centrale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, avenue Côte de Nacre, 14033 Caen cedex, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Divanon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delamillieure
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehaguez
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vasse
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morello
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gourevitch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langlois
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Assouly-Besse
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Guelfi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dollfus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents