Aripiprazole: effectiveness and safety under naturalistic conditions.
A retrospective study was conducted to examine aripiprazole's effectiveness and safety in a naturalistic treatment setting in both inpatients and outpatients affected by schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. All patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective and delusional disorders, and schizoid and schizotypal personality disorders treated with aripiprazole from March 1, 2005, to March 1, 2006, in the authors' community mental health service were divided into outpatient (n=26) and inpatient (n=17) groups; the average treatment periods were 204 days and 25 days, respectively. Effectiveness was evaluated by improvement of symptoms (a 25% reduction of Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale [BPRS] score from baseline) and functioning level (a 50% increase of Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF] scale score from baseline), as well as dropout rate. Adverse effects and their impact on treatment course were also evaluated. The final scores of the 2 scales showed a statistically significant difference from baseline (BPRS: p<.001 in the 2 groups; GAF: p<.005 in inpatients, p<.001 in outpatients). The average improvements in BPRS and GAF were 54% and 35%, respectively, in outpatients and 71% and 71% in inpatients. Side effects included anxiety, psychomotor agitation, insomnia, and psychotic symptom worsening. The dropout rate was 24% in inpatients and 23% in outpatients, largely because of the aforementioned side effects. The data, though limited by the small sample and naturalistic methodology, suggest that aripiprazole may be effective for both long- and short-term treatment, with a greater improvement among inpatients and a similar dropout rate between groups.
Di Lorenzo
Rosaria
R
Department of Mental Health, AUSL-MODENA, Presidio Psichiatrico di Diagnosi e Cura 1, Policl via del Pozzo 71, 141100, Modena, Italy. saradilorenzo1@alice.it
Amoretti
Alessandra
A
Forghieri
Matilde
M
Fiorini
Fiorenza
F
Genedani
Susanna
S
Rigatelli
Marco
M
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000209:etiology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012557:Schizoid Personality Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole