title: Quetiapine in adolescents with non-affective psychotic disorders: an open-label trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a need for more studies on the clinical effectiveness, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of atypical antipsychotics in adolescents with psychotic disorders, as this represents a vulnerable and difficult population to treat. According to recent concerns regarding disabling side effects of antipsychotics, particularly weight gain, further monitoring of their safety profiles is needed. This situation prompted the authors to carry out an investigation on the clinical effectiveness of quetiapine in psychotic adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  23 adolescents (13-18 years old) with psychotic disorders participated in a 12-week open label trial, including 6 visits assessing clinical efficacy, tolerability and safety of quetiapine (50-750 mg daily).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adolescents were treated with lower doses compared to adults. Significant decreases in CGI and PANSS total scores were observed after both 4 and 12 weeks of quetiapine treatment compared to baseline. Sedation was the main adverse effect, but medication was generally well tolerated. Irregular compliance, (as assessed by pill counts, a questionnaire and by plasma quetiapine concentration monitoring), and alcohol and/or cannabis consumption were factors identified in this study which add to the difficulty in treating this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study help to consolidate evidence of the usefulness of quetiapine as a treatment for adolescents with psychotic disorders. However, this study also highlights the issues encountered in treating this group, including the presence of comorbidities such as drug abuse.
authors.affiliation: Service Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent (SUPEA), CHUV Lausanne, Switzerland. laurent.holzer@chuv.ch
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holzer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Preuss
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jaugey
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urben
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Halfon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baumann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate