Effectiveness and safety of olanzapine in the treatment of Asian outpatients with schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of olanzapine in the treatment of schizophrenia among Asian patients in an outpatient setting.


METHODS
This was an open-label, prospective, observational study involving 339 patients from Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Clinical Global Impression Severity scale (CGI-S), and safety parameters were assessed.


RESULTS
62% of patients responded to olanzapine treatment, defined a priori as a reduction in BPRS of > 40% from baseline. Following the 8-week treatment period, the BPRS total, BPRS positive, BPRS negative, and CGI-S scores decreased by 18.7 (95% CI: 17.4, 20.2), 6.1 (5.6, 6.6), 2.9 (2.6, 3.2), and 1.5 points (median 1.0), respectively (p < 0.0001). In total, 31 of the 339 patients (9.1%) failed to complete the study according to the study description. Loss to follow-up and personal conflict were the most common reasons for discontinuation. There were 30 treatment-emergent adverse events with six serious cases, assessed as unrelated to study drug, reported.


CONCLUSIONS
This study further demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of olanzapine in actual clinical practice settings, in reducing the severity of psychopathological symptoms in Asian patients with schizophrenia.
Habil
M H
MH
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. hussain_habil@um.edu.my
Gondoyoewono
H
H
Chaudhry
H R
HR
Samanwongthai
U
U
Hamid
A R A
AR
Hashmi
I T
IT
Budiman
R
R
Knowles
A G
AG
Buenaventura
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044466:Asian People; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010045:Outpatients; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000077152:Olanzapine