A COMPARISON OF QUETIAPINE AND CHLORPROMAZINE IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

A 6-week, double-blind, randomized, multicentre, parallel-group study was conducted to compare the efficacy of quetiapine ('Seroquel') (n=10 1) with that of chlorpromazine (n=100) in hospitalized patients with a cute exacerbation of subchronic or chronic schizophrenia, or schizophr eniform disorder. The tolerabilities of the two treatments were also c ompared. The mean daily doses of quetiapine and chlorpromazine at the end of the study were 407 mg and 384 mg, respectively. Both treatments were effective in the treatment of positive and negative symptoms, wi th a trend towards superior efficacy for quetiapine. The quetiapine gr oup had a lower incidence of adverse events than the chlorpromazine gr oup, and a low incidence of treatment-emergent extrapyramidal symptoms . Quetiapine was not associated with a sustained increase in serum pro lactin. These clinical data support the preclinical profile of quetiap ine as an atypical antipsychotic agent.