title: Clinical response to risperidone in relation to plasma drug concentrations in acutely exacerbated schizophrenic patients.
abstract: There are no data indicating a clear relationship between the clinical effect of risperidone and plasma drug concentration. In this study, 51 patients with acutely exacerbated schizophrenia received 6 mg risperidone/day for 4 weeks. A clinical evaluation using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Udvalg for Klinicke Undersøgelser (UKU) side effect rating scale were performed at baseline and each week. Significant (P < 0.05) correlations were found between plasma concentrations of risperidone and improved total BPRS scores, positive and cognitive symptoms. Plasma concentrations of the active moiety were significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with improved total BPRS scores. Improved score and percent improvement in anxiety-depression subscale were significantly (P < 0.01) correlated with plasma concentrations of the active moiety. The sum of total UKU side effect scores from 1 to 4 weeks was significantly correlated with plasma concentration of both risperidone (rs = 0.319, P < 0.05) and active moiety (rs = 0.373, P < 0.01). The sum of the psychic subgroup scores was significantly correlated with plasma concentrations of active moiety (rs = 0.318, P < 0.05). Results suggest that plasma drug concentrations are, to some extent, associated with improved scores in some psychopathological schizophrenic symptoms and sedative side effects. These findings should be replicated with a larger patient sample.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hirosaki Graduate University, School of Medicine, Hirosaki 036-8562, Japan. yasufuru@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yasui-Furukori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagami
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furukori
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaneko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068882:Paliperidone Palmitate; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000097:blood; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D007555:Isoxazoles; D011743:Pyrimidines; D018967:Risperidone; D000068882:Paliperidone Palmitate