EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF RISPERIDONE IN THE LONG-TERM TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

The long-term efficacy and safety of risperidone were evaluated in pat ients with chronic schizophrenia in an open-label study. Thirty-two pa tients received risperidone for 1 year and 19 of the 32 received rispe ridone for 2 years. The mean dose of risperidone was 9.4 mg/d in the 1 -year follow-up and 8 mg/d in the 2-year follow-up. At the end of 1 an d 2 years, improvements were found in total scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), on four PANSS factors (positive, neg ative, excited, and cognitive), and the Clinical Global Impression sca le. Severity of extrapyramidal symptoms (based on scores on the Extrap yramidal Symptom Rating Scale) was also reduced. Clinical improvement (defined as a 20% or more reduction in total PANSS scores) was shown b y 54% of the patients at end point. Social functioning (as assessed by using the modified Strauss/Carpenter scale) was significantly improve d after 2 years. Number of days spent in hospitals was significantly r educed during the 2 years of treatment, and the number of days in trea tment (group) homes significantly increased. It is concluded that trea tment with risperidone for 1 and 2 years is associated with significan t reductions in symptoms of schizophrenia, improved social functioning , and reduction in days spent in the hospital.