Melperone, an aytpical antipsychotic drug with clozapine-like effect on plasma prolactin: contrast with typical neuroleptics.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of melperone, a butyrophenone with atypical antipsychotic properties, on plasma prolactin (PRL) concentrations compared with clozapine and typical neuroleptics.


METHODS
Analysis of pre- and post-treatment PRL levels collected prospectively per protocol in a non-randomized study of 26 melperone-, 76 clozapine-, and 66 neuroleptic-treated patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Cross-sectional analysis of a larger sample of patients with PRL data was also performed.


RESULTS
For males, post-treatment PRL levels were significantly higher in the typical neuroleptic group compared with the melperone (p = 0.0001) and clozapine (p = 0.0001) groups, with no significant difference between clozapine and melperone. For females, post-treatment PRL levels were significantly higher in the melperone group as compared to the clozapine group (p = 0.004). There were too few typical neuroleptic-treated females to permit analysis of this sample. However, the cross-sectional analysis of PRL data confirmed the results for melperone- and clozapine-treated females, and showed higher PRL levels in typical neuroleptic-treated females as compared with those who received melperone and clozapine.


CONCLUSIONS
Melperone did not significantly increase PRL levels in male patients. However, melperone and typical neuroleptics caused increase in PRL levels in females. Further study of melperone's effects on PRL concentration is warranted.
Bobo
William V
WV
Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37211, USA. william.v.bobo@vanderbilt.edu
Jayathilake
Karuna
K
Lee
Myung A
MA
Meltzer
Herbert Y
HY
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002090:Butyrophenones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003024:Clozapine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012737:Sex Factors
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002090:Butyrophenones; D011388:Prolactin; D003024:Clozapine; C008522:metylperon