title: Switching antipsychotics to aripiprazole or blonanserin and plasma monoamine metabolites levels in patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Blonanserin is a novel atypical antipsychotic drug that has efficacy equal to risperidone. We investigated the effects of aripiprazole and blonanserin on clinical symptoms and plasma levels of homovanillic acid (pHVA) and 3-methoxy-4hydroxyphenylglycol in the switching strategy of schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty two Japanese patients with schizophrenia were enrolled into this open study. The antipsychotics of all patients were switched to aripiprazole or blonanserin for the improvement of clinical symptoms or side effects. Plasma monoamine metabolites levels were analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant effects for time (p = 0.346) or time × group interaction (p = 0.27) on the changes of positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) total score, although blonanserin decreased PANSS scores. We observed negative correlation between pHVA at baseline and the change in PANSS total score (rs = -0.450, p = 0.046). We also found positive correlation between the changes in pHVA and the changes in PANSS total (rs = 0.536, p = 0.015) and positive (rs = 0.572, p = 0.008) scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were no differences between blonanserin and aripiprazole in the improvement of clinical symptoms. Our results suggest that pHVA may be useful indicator for the switching strategy to aripiprazole or blonanserin in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Itaru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiga
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsumi
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanno-Nozaki
authors.forename: Hirobumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mashiko
authors.forename: Shin-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niwa
authors.forename: Hirooki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yabe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015363:Quinolones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D010880:Piperidines; D015363:Quinolones; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D000068180:Aripiprazole; C079310:blonanserin; D006719:Homovanillic Acid
keywords: aripiprazole; blonanserin; homovanillic acid; schizophrenia; switching strategy