title: A prospective, multicentre, open-label study to evaluate the effectiveness of aripiprazole in the treatment of a broad range of patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of 12-week treatment with aripiprazole in a broad range of patients suffering from schizophrenia by using a variety of physicians, caregivers and patients scales.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 361 in- or outpatients who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for schizophrenia received open-label aripiprazole (10-30 mg per day) in this 12-week, prospective, multicentre, uncontrolled study. The primary endpoint was the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale which measured effectiveness of study medication, including efficacy, safety and tolerability. A variety of physician-, patient- and caregiver-rated parameters were measured to gain a complete view of the effectiveness of aripiprazole.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The effectiveness of aripiprazole treatment was demonstrated in a broad range of schizophrenia patients (CGI-I score of 3.0; 95% confidence interval: 2.8, 3.2: last observation carried forward [LOCF]) as the upper bound of the 95% CI was less than 4 (score of "no change"). Both patient and caregiver PGI-I scores (LOCF: 95% CI: 2.79, 3.09 and, 95% CI: 2.74, 3.17, respectively) corroborate this finding. Aripiprazole had a positive effect on disease severity by study end, as assessed by an increase of the (physician-rated) CGI-S scores, with 57.3% of patients having improved disease, one-third maintaining their condition (30.8%) and 11.3% with worsening symptoms (LOCF). The Investigator Assessment Questionnaire (IAQ) showed a great improvement (>50% of patients). Patients reported significantly improved quality of life and overall, 71% of patients and 67% of caregivers preferred aripiprazole to their previous antipsychotic medication (LOCF; P<0.0001 over time).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aripiprazole was effective in a broad range of patients with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Universitair Centrum Sint Jozef, Kortenberg, Belgium. joseph.peuskens@uc-kortenberg.be
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peuskens
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bervoets
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Delatte
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Touquet
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gillain
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Patoul
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Halkin
authors.forename: J-Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Loze
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vansteelandt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Constant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D015363:Quinolones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole