title: Efficacy and tolerability of ziprasidone vs. olanzapine in naive first-episode schizophrenia: a 6-week, randomized, open-label, flexible-dose study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although some previous studies have compared the 2 medicines, ziprasidone and olanzapine most selected chronic patients as subjects. Therefore, the present study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of ziprasidone vs. olanzapine in naive first-episode schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  80 patients were randomly assigned to a 6-week treatment either with 80-160 mg/day of ziprasidone or 10-20 mg/day of olanzapine. The primary efficacy measurements were the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Clinical Global Impression-severity scale scores. The second efficacy measurement was the response rate of treatment. Tolerability assessments were also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  79 patients completed the trial. The average dose was 127.5 mg/day with ziprasidone and 19.1 mg/day with olanzapine. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in primary or secondary efficacy measurements at each visit point (all p>0.05). Body weight significantly increased with olanzapine, and more extrapyramidal symptoms were observed with ziprasidone (all p<0.05). Both medicines were well tolerated, and no serious adverse events were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ziprasidone was as effective as olanzapine in short-term treatment for first-episode schizophrenia, and both medicines were well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Institute of The Second Xiangya Hospital Changsha, Central South University, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Y-M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: R-R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D017050:Episode of Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D001569:Benzodiazepines; C092292:ziprasidone; D000077152:Olanzapine