Effectiveness of aripiprazole in adolescents and young adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: Comparison of first-episode to recurrent psychosis

Yu Shu Huang, Chin Bin Yeh, Ching Shu Tang, Chih Ken Chen, Wen Jiun Chou, Miao Chun Chou, Yu Yu Wu, Hsin Yi Liang, Liang Jen Wang*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aims: The study aims to determine the clinical outcomes of aripiprazole treatment in adolescents and young adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Methods: This was a 24-week, observational, prospective study. Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were prescribed a daily dose of 5mg to 30mg of aripiprazole. Effectiveness was assessed by the change from baseline in psychotic symptoms and quality of life. Results: Forty-two patients with a mean age of 18.1±3.7years were recruited. Eighteen were experiencing the first episode of psychosis (FEP), whereas the remaining 24 were non-FEP. Psychotic symptoms, but not quality of life, improved globally from baseline scores by the endpoint of the study (effect size=0.44). Compared with non-FEP patients, FEP patients had greater improvements (effect size=0.45) in some clinical outcome dimensions during the 24-week aripiprazole treatment. Conclusion: We observed significant improvements of medium effect sizes in psychotic symptoms of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders within a naturalistic clinical setting, especially for FEP patients.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)89-93
Number of pages5
JournalEarly Intervention in Psychiatry
Volume7
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 02 2013

Keywords

  • Adolescent
  • Antipsychotic
  • Early intervention
  • Effectiveness
  • First-episode psychosis

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