Vitamin E treatment for tardive dyskinesia

Background: Several short-term, controlled trials have documented the effic acy of vitamin E in treating tardive dyskinesia. However, the persistent na ture of the disease prompted us to perform a multicenter, longer-term trial of vitamin E. Methods: The study was a prospective, randomized, 9-site trial of up to 2 y ears of treatment with d-vitamin E (1600 IU/d) vs matching placebo. One hun dred fifty-eight subjects with tardive dyskinesia who were receiving neurol eptic medications were enrolled. The blinded assessments performed were cli nical (Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale, Barnes Akathisia Scale, and Mo dified Simpson-Angus [for Extrapyramidal Symptoms] Scale) and electromechan ical assessments of movement disorders, psychiatric status (Brief Psychiatr ic Rating Scale), and functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning). There were no significant differences in baseline demographic characteristics or in study assessments between the group that received vitamin E and the gro up that received placebo. Results: Vitamin E was well tolerated and subject compliance with medicatio n was good and similar between treatment groups. One hundred seven subjects (70% of those receiving vitamin E and 66% of subjects receiving placebo) c ompleted at least 1 year of treatment. There were no significant effects of vitamin E on total scores or subscale scores for the AIMS, electromechanic al measures of dyskinesia, or scores from the other + scales. Conclusion: This long-term, randomized trial of vitamin E vs placebo found no evidence for efficacy of vitamin E in the treatment of tardive dyskinesi a.