title: A randomized trial of aripiprazole vs blonanserin for the treatment of acute schizophrenia and related disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There has been no direct comparison of aripiprazole and blonanserin for schizophrenia treatment. We conducted a 24-week, rater-masked, randomized trial of aripiprazole (6-30 mg/d) vs blonanserin (4-24 mg/d) in schizophrenia patients who were not taking any antipsychotic medication for more than 2 weeks before enrollment (UMIN000011194).
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome measure for efficacy was improvement of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score at week 24. Secondary outcomes were PANSS subscale scores, 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-21) score, response rate, discontinuation rate, and individual adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-four patients were recruited. The discontinuation rate was 86.4% in the aripiprazole group and 68.2% in the blonanserin treatment group. There was no significant difference in mean time to discontinuation between the groups. Although both treatment groups showed significant reductions in the PANSS total score, PANSS subscale scores, and HAMD-21 scores at week 24, the magnitudes of the changes did not differ between the groups. There were no significant differences in the incidences of adverse events including somnolence, extrapyramidal symptoms, prolactin-related adverse events, and weight change between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest similar efficacy and safety profiles of aripiprazole and blonanserin in the patients with schizophrenia. Double-blind controlled studies are needed to further explore the efficacy and safety of aripiprazole and blonanserin in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi.
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi; Department of Psychiatry, Okehazama Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi.
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mukai
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi; Department of Psychiatry, Okehazama Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi.
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moriwaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Holy Cross Hospital, Toki, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tabuse
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Okehazama Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi.
authors.forename: Nakao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iwata
keywords: aripiprazole; blonanserin; efficacy; randomized trial; safety; schizophrenia