Long-term efficacy and safety of blonanserin in patients with first-episode schizophrenia: a 1-year open-label trial.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of blonanserin, a second-generation antipsychotic drug developed in Japan, in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.


METHODS
Twenty-three antipsychotic-naïve patients with first-episode schizophrenia were treated within an open-label, 1-year, prospective trial of blonanserin (2-24 mg/day). Clinical evaluations were conducted at baseline and 2, 6, and 12 months after the start of treatment. The main outcome measures were changes in subjective well-being and subjective quality of life, as assessed by the Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic treatment scale Short form-Japanese version and the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale-Japanese version, respectively. Secondary outcome measures included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia-Japanese version, laboratory tests, bodyweight, and extrapyramidal symptoms.


RESULTS
Fourteen patients (60.9%) remained on the study at 1 year. In the intention-to-treat analysis, significant improvements were observed in several subscales on the Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic treatment scale Short form-Japanese version, the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale-Japanese version, and the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia-Japanese version, and in all factor scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Improvement in depressive symptoms with blonanserin treatment was positively correlated with improvements in subjective well-being and subjective quality of life, as well as verbal memory. No significant changes were noted for any safety measure during the 1-year study period.


CONCLUSIONS
Blonanserin was well tolerated and effective for the treatment of first-episode schizophrenia in terms of subjective wellness, cognition, and a wide range of pathological symptoms. Further large-scale studies are warranted to confirm our findings.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Yuriko
Y
Ninomiya
Department of Neuropsychiatry, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Seiya
S
Miyamoto
Department of Neuropsychiatry, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Tomomi
T
Tenjin
Department of Neuropsychiatry, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Shin
S
Ogino
Department of Neuropsychiatry, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Nobumi
N
Miyake
Department of Psychiatry, Iwaki Clinic, Tokushima, Japan.
Yasuhiro
Y
Kaneda
National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
Tomiki
T
Sumiyoshi
Department of Neuropsychiatry, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Noboru
N
Yamaguchi
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D010880:Piperidines; C079310:blonanserin
blonanserin; cognition; first-episode schizophrenia; second-generation antipsychotics; subjective well-being