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Zuclopenthixol decanoate and haloperidol decanoate in chronic schizophrenia: a double‐blind multicentre study
Author(s) -
Wistedt B.,
Koskinen T.,
Thelander S.,
Nerdrum T.,
Pedersen V.,
Mølbjerg C.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1991.tb01414.x
Subject(s) - brief psychiatric rating scale , haloperidol , rating scale , medicine , depression (economics) , psychology , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychiatry , psychosis , developmental psychology , economics , macroeconomics , dopamine
Zuclopenthixol decanoate (ZPT‐D) and haloperidol decanoate (HAL‐D) were compared in the maintenance treatment of chronic schizophrenic patients. All patients were treated with either ZPT‐D or HAL‐D for at least 3 months and were then randomly allocated to treatment with either ZPT‐D (100–600 mg every 4 weeks) or HAL‐D (38–200 mg every 4 weeks) for 9 months. Sixty‐four patients entered the study. Three patients were only assessed at baseline. Four patients in the HAL‐D group were withdrawn because of deterioration. One patient in the ZPT‐D group committed suicide. Fifty‐six patients completed the trial. The assessment programme comprised Clinical Global Impressions by psychiatrists and nurses, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Montgomery‐Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), UKU Side Effect Scale and Simpson‐Angus Scale. Ratings were made at baseline and after 12, 24 and 36 weeks of treatment. The severity of illness scores remained almost constant. The only between‐group difference was recorded at month 6 in favour of ZPT‐D. The BPRS total scores were reduced significantly in both groups with no between‐group differences. The depression scores on the MADRS were very low. Both treatments caused few and mild side effects according to the UKU Side Effect Scale and the Simpson‐Angus scale, and there were no significant differences between the groups. Both ZPT‐D and HAL‐D seem to be effective in the maintenance treatment of chronic schizophrenic patients and cause few side effects. The injections of ZPT‐D and HAL‐D can be given at 4‐week intervals.