Use of aripiprazole in tardive dyskinesia: an open label study of six cases.
Aripiprazole, a partial dopamine agonist has been reported to help reduce symptoms of tardive dyskinesia (TD). In a prospective, open label study of a series of cases, we examined the effectiveness of aripiprazole in reducing TD symptoms. Six clinically stable patients with schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder and a moderate to severe TD participated in this study. They were systematically cross-titrated from their current medication to aripiprazole and maintained for 16 weeks. The mean extra pyramidal symptom score measured by Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) improved from a baseline score of 15.8 to final score of 5 (paired t-test; P=0.0009). The severity of psychiatric symptoms remained unchanged. This study supports our hypothesis that clinically stable patients with moderate tardive dyskinesia who are under treatment with other first- or second-generation antipsychotics may benefit from switching to aripiprazole with a reduction of TD symptoms but with out any significant benefit in psychiatric symptoms. The results need to be viewed with caution and not considered as indicative of a viable treatment option for TD as this is an open label study, and a small sample size.
Rajarethinam
Rajaprabhakaran
R
Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
Dziuba
John
J
Manji
Suzanne
S
Pizzuti
Albert
A
Lachover
Leonard
L
Keshavan
Matcheri
M
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005476:Fluphenazine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole; C011825:fluphenazine depot; D006220:Haloperidol; D018967:Risperidone; D005476:Fluphenazine