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Amisulpride has a superior benefit/risk profile to haloperidol in schizophrenia: results of a multicentre, double-blind study (the Amisulpride Study Group*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

P. Carrière ,
D. Bonhomme  and
T. Lempérière
P. Carrière*
Affiliation:
Service Médico-Psychologique Régional, BP 549,36021Châteauroux, France
D. Bonhomme
Affiliation:
Sanofi Synthélabo-France, 22, avenue Galilée,92352le Plessis Robinson, France
T. Lempérière
Affiliation:
28 rue des Acacias,75017Paris, France
*
*Correspondence and reprints
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Summary

In a multicentre, double-blind, flexible-dose study, 199 patients with paranoid schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorders received haloperidol (10–30 mg/d) or amisulpride (400–1200 mg/d) for four months. More patients in the haloperidol group withdrew prematurely (44% vs 26%; P = 0.0077) due to a higher incidence of adverse events. Amisulpride was at least as effective as haloperidol in reducing the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) total score (–27.3 vs –21.9) (non-inferiority test; P < 0.001). The PANSS positive score improved to a similar extent in both groups whilst improvement in the PANSS negative score was significantly greater with amisulpride (–10.5 vs –7.2; P = 0.01). The percentage of responders on the Clinical Global Impression scale was also significantly greater with amisulpride (71% vs 47%; P < 0.001). Both the Quality of Life Scale (QLS) and the Functional Status Questionnaire (FSQ) improved to a significantly greater extent under amisulpride. Haloperidol was associated with a greater incidence in extrapyramidal symptoms and with a greater increase in the Simpson-Angus score than was seen with amisulpride (0.32 vs 0.02; P < 0.001). In conclusion, amisulpride is globally superior to haloperidol in the treatment of acute exacerbations of schizophrenia and significantly improves patients’ quality of life and social adjustment.

Keywords

amisulprideantipsychoticatypical antipsychotichaloperidolschizophrenia
Type
Original Article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 15 , Issue 5 , August 2000 , pp. 321 - 329
Copyright
Copyright © Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS 2000

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