title: The acute and long-term effectiveness of amisulpride in patients with schizophrenia: results of a 12-month open-label prospective follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of amisulpride in acute (up to 8 weeks) and maintenance (week 8 to 12 months) phases of a 12-month course of treatment in a heterogeneous group of patients with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a 12-month, open-label clinical trial with flexible doses of amisulpride among 129 Korean patients with schizophrenia. The Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and several other scales measuring efficacy and tolerability were analyzed during the acute and maintenance phases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The completion rates were 78.3% by week 8 and 55.8% by month 12. Total PANSS scores and scores on the negative-symptom and general-symptom subscales improved significantly during both acute and maintenance periods, but scores on the positive-symptom subscale improved only during the acute phase. Improvement during both treatment phases was significant in all other scales except for the Drug Attitude Inventory. The negative-symptom and mixed-symptom groups showed significant improvement in the PANSS negative subscale, the Clinical Global Impression scale, and the Global Assessment of Functioning during the maintenance period. Hyperprolactinemia and related events were commonly reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the significant effectiveness and a good safety profile of amisulpride for treating acute and 12-month phases of schizophrenia under natural conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science and Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Kyu Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chul-Eung
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae-Yeob
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jeong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Seok
authors.forename: Young Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: In-Won
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Tae-Youn
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Jae Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yong Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000077582:Amisulpride; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D013469:Sulpiride; D000077582:Amisulpride