Course of violence in patients with schizophrenia: relationship to clinical symptoms.

To understand the heterogeneity of violent behaviors in patients with schizophrenia, one must consider underlying clinical symptoms of the illness and their change over time. The purpose of this study was to examine persistence and resolution of violence in relation to psychotic symptoms, ward behaviors, and neurological impairment. Psychiatric symptoms and ward behaviors were assessed in violent inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and in nonviolent controls on entry into the study. Patients were followed for 4 weeks; those who showed resolution of assaults over this time were classified as transiently violent, and those who remained assaultive were categorized as persistently violent. At the end of the 4 weeks, psychiatric symptoms, ward behaviors, and neurological impairment were assessed. Overall, the two violent groups presented with more severe psychiatric symptoms and were judged to be more irritable than the nonviolent control subjects, but the transiently violent patients showed improvement in symptoms over time. At the end of 4 weeks, the persistently violent patients had evidence of more severe neurological impairment, hostility, suspiciousness, and irritability than the other two groups. Canonical discriminant analyses identified two significant dimensions differentiated the groups. The first, characterized by positive psychotic symptoms, differentiated the violent patients from the control subjects; the second, characterized by neurological impairment and high endpoint score for negative symptoms, differentiated the transiently from the persistently violent patients. Identification of certain symptoms associated with different forms of violence has important implications for the prediction and differential treatment of violent behavior in patients with schizophrenia.     

注射用利培酮微球与口服利培酮对精神分裂症血浆催乳素及社会功能的影响

目的比较两种不同剂型的利培酮（注射用长效利培酮微球与口服利培酮）对精神分裂症患者血浆催乳素及社会功能的影响。方法 74例口服利培酮≤4mg/d达6周且病情稳定的门诊精神分裂症患者,被随机分为注射长效利培酮微球组（注射组,利培酮剂量每2周为25～50mg）和口服利培酮组（口服组,利培酮剂量≤4mg/d）。于分组前及分组后4周、8周、16周检测患者的血浆催乳素水平,于分组前和分组后8周、16周以个人和社会功能量表（Personal and Social Performance,PSP）评定患者的社会功能,以阳性和阴性症状量表（PANSS）、临床疗效总评量表中的病情严重程度（GGI-SI）及Simpson锥体外系副反应评定量表（SEPS）评定疗效和不良反应。结果注射组37例患者中,有30例（82.1%）完成研究,口服组37例患者中,有32例（85.7%）完成研究,将完成全部研究的患者的资料纳入统计分析。分组前两组的PNASS、CGI-SI及SEPS评分比较均无统计学差异。分组治疗16周后,两组的PANSS评分及CGI-SI评分均下降,但两组间比较无统计学差异;注射组、口服组的SEPS评分的均数（标准差）为3.7（2.5）和5.1（2.8）,（t=2.12,P=0.037）。分组治疗8周后,注射组与口服组的血浆催乳素均数（标准差）分别为48.2（15.7）μg/L及54.2（18.8）μg/L,（t=2.59,P=0.012）,两组的PSP评分的均数（标准差）分别为70.9（9.7）及65.3（11.1）,（t=2.01,P=0.049）;分组16周后,注射组与口服组的血浆催乳素浓度的均数（标准差）分别为31.5（17.1）μg/L及58.5（16.8）μg/L,（t=6.24,P〈0.001）,两组的PSP评分的均数（标准差）分别为79.3（6.0）及66.1（9.6）,（t=6.44,P〈0.001）。两组血浆催乳素水平的差异有统计学意义（F=4.79,P=0.033）,两组PSP分值的差异有统计学意义（F=8.70,P=0.005）。结论与口服利培酮相比,注射长效利培酮微球后患者出现的锥体外系不良反应较轻,高催乳素血症的程度较低,社会功能恢复较好。     

Open multicentre trial of zuclopenthixol in mania and schizophrenia based on the AMDP scales

A total of 95 schizophrenic or manic patients received zuclopenthixol (cis(Z)-clopenthixol) either intramuscularly or orally during a period of 2 to 4 weeks in mean daily doses of 25 mg (i.m.) or 75 mg (p.o.). They were rated with the CGI, VAS, MSS, BPRS, and AMDP scales. Zuclopenthixol proved to be a potent antimanic, anti-aggressive and antidelusional neuroleptic already from the second day of injection. Very few anticholinergic and extrapyramidal side effects as well as little somnolence were seen and the local tolerance was excellent. The 14-factor AMDP profile proved valid, sensitive to change and highly differentiated.     

Characteristics and use patterns of patients taking first-generation depot antipsychotics or oral antipsychotics for schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: Investigators compared patient characteristics and antipsychotic use patterns between individuals with schizophrenia treated in usual care with first-generation depot antipsychotics and those treated with oral antipsychotics (first- or second-generation or both). METHODS: Analyses used data from the U.S. Schizophrenia Care and Assessment Program, a large, prospective study of treatment for schizophrenia conducted July 1997 through September 2003. Participants were assessed at enrollment and every six months thereafter with patient self-report, validated psychiatric measures, and systematic extraction of medical records. Individuals treated with a first-generation depot antipsychotic at any time during the three-year study (N=569) were compared with those treated with only oral antipsychotics (N=1,617) on characteristics at enrollment and medication use pattern during the year after enrollment. RESULTS: Compared with patients receiving only oral antipsychotics, participants treated with depot medications (haloperidol or fluphenazine decanoate) were more likely to be African American (p<.001); less likely to be a veteran (p=.005); had more psychiatric hospitalizations in the year before enrollment (p<.001); and were more likely to have been arrested (p<.001), to use alcohol and illicit substances (p<.001), and to show higher psychopathology, particularly psychotic symptoms and disorganized thinking (p<.01 for both). In the year after enrollment, participants treated with depot medications had a high mean medication possession ratio (91%), and most of the medication regimens (68%) were augmented with oral antipsychotics for prolonged durations (median of 144 days). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with schizophrenia treated with first-generation depot antipsychotics differed from those treated with only oral antipsychotics. Findings suggest that first-generation depot antipsychotics might address some unmet needs of a unique subgroup of patients with schizophrenia.     

Effectiveness of community treatment orders for treatment of schizophrenia with oral or depot antipsychotic medication: clinical outcomes

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effectiveness of community treatment orders (CTOs) used in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. The hypotheses were that CTOs enhance outcome for patients whose mental health would otherwise be compromised by poor adherence with treatment and that CTOs would enable this when either oral or depot antipsychotic medication was prescribed. METHOD: This was a naturalistic study using a retrospective mirror-image design. The sample consisted of patients with schizophrenia (n = 94) who were treated on a CTO between November 1996 and October 1999. Two subgroups were defined: patients treated with oral antipsychotic medication (n = 31), and patients treated with depot medication (n = 63). Data were gathered via file review using a questionnaire. RESULTS: For the whole sample and both subgroups the findings included significant increased number of service contacts, decreased number of admissions and decreased length of inpatient stay. For the total sample numbers of crisis team referrals and other episodes of relapse were significantly decreased. For the subgroup on depot medication there was a non-significant trend towards fewer crisis team referrals and a significant decrease in other episodes of relapse. There were no significant differences for the oral subgroup in crisis team referrals or other episodes of relapse. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides further evidence that CTOs may be effective in improving the outcome for selected persons with schizophrenia and some evidence that they may enhance the outcome for selected patients with schizophrenia on oral antipsychotic medication.     

Adherence assessments and the use of depot antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotic medications significantly ameliorate the symptoms of schizophrenia, but patients are often noncompliant with these medications. Research evidence supports the use of depot antipsychotics in noncompliant patients. METHOD: Between January 9, 1991, and December 19, 1995, 1307 veterans with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (ICD-9) were enrolled in a study of enhanced psychosocial programming at 14 Veterans Administration Medical Centers. All had a history of high inpatient use. At enrollment, clinicians listed patient medications, rated patient compliance, and completed a Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Patients reported medication side effects. We describe depot antipsychotic use among these patients and examine the relationship between depot use, assessed compliance, and patient characteristics. RESULTS: At enrollment, 18% of patients in this cohort were receiving depot antipsychotics; however, clinicians reported that 49% had been noncompliant with medication in the past year. Depot use varied significantly with treatment site; African Americans were more likely to receive depot antipsychotics and less likely to receive atypical antipsychotics than white patients. Patients on depot and oral agents had similar levels of psychiatric symptoms, but patients on depot antipsychotics were more likely to receive high doses and complain of side effects. CONCLUSION: Clinicians prescribed depot antipsychotics relatively infrequently, despite high rates of noncompliance and high levels of inpatient use. Variation in use with treatment site and ethnic group suggests barriers to implementing research-based recommendations for depot use in noncompliant patients. Quality improvement programs should consider facilitating the appropriate use of depots.     

Reducing violence risk in persons with schizophrenia: olanzapine versus risperidone

OBJECTIVE: This study prospectively examined the effectiveness of treatment with olanzapine versus risperidone in reducing violent behavior among patients with schizophrenia under "usual care" conditions in the community. METHOD: Participants were 124 adults with DSM-IV-diagnosed schizophrenia-spectrum disorders receiving services in public-sector mental health systems in North Carolina. After enrollment (1997-1999), subjects were followed for 3 years in an observational study with interviews at 6-month intervals to assess treatment, clinical outcomes, and violent behavior. Rates of violence were compared over time between periods of first switch to olanzapine or risperidone and periods following at least 1 year of treatment with each of these medications. RESULTS: The study found that remaining on olanzapine for 1 year or more significantly lowered violence risk compared to first switch period, but no significant change in violence risk was found for subjects remaining on risperidone for 1 year or more. These results were obtained using multivariable time-series analysis controlling for salient demographic and clinical covariates. CONCLUSION: This study found that, in the complex "real world" settings where persons with schizophrenia reside, long-term treatment with olanzapine confers some advantage over risperidone in reducing violence risk. This advantage appears to be at least in part an indirect effect, via improvement in adherence with treatment. Specifically, adherence with prescribed medication was found to mediate the association between olanzapine treatment and reduced violent behavior.     

Executive function and in-patient violence in forensic patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: The literature on the association between neuropsychological deficits and in-patient violence in schizophrenia is limited and the findings inconsistent. AIMS: To examine the role of executive function deficits in inpatient violence using measures of dorsolateral (DLPFC) and ventrolateral prefrontal cortical (VLPFC) function. METHODS: Thirty-three violent and forty-nine non-violent male forensic in-patients with schizophrenia were assessed using neuropsychological tasks probing DLPFC and VLPFC function and on measures of symptoms and psychopathy. RESULTS: There were no significant group differences in neuropsychological task performance. Higher rates of violence were significantly associated with lower current IQ scores and higher excitement symptom scores. The 'violent' group had significantly higher interpersonal and antisocial domain psychopathy scores. In a logistic regression analysis, IQ and the interpersonal domain of psychopathy were significant discriminators of violent v. non-violent status. CONCLUSIONS: Personality factors rather than symptoms and neuropsychological function may be important in understanding in-patient violence in forensic patients with schizophrenia.     

利培酮对儿童期首发精神分裂症的临床应用

目的:了解利培酮治疗儿童期首发精神分裂症患者的疗效及安全性。 方法:对40例年龄<14岁患儿以利培酮治疗8周,以简明精神病评定量表(BPRS)评定疗效,以副反应量表(TESS)及实验室监测评价安全性。 结果:利培酮平均治疗剂量为(2.84±O.71)mg/d,总有效率为87.5％,不良反应主要为锥体外系反应。 结论:对儿童期首发精神分裂症,利培酮疗效较好,安全性高。     

Association of psychopathic traits and symptomatology with violence in patients with schizophrenia

The main aim of the current study is to investigate the association of psychopathic traits and symptomatology with violence in male patients with schizophrenia. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) were administered to 35 hospitalized male patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Based on their history of violence, the sample was divided into violent (N = 19) and nonviolent (N = 16) groups. Data were analyzed using parametric, nonparametric and regression analyses. The mean psychopathy and hostility (component of the BPRS) scores were significantly higher for the violent group. Only three patients (16%), all from the violent group, met the diagnostic cutoff for psychopathy (a PCL-R score > or = 30). Regression analyses suggest that both the hostility component of the BPRS and the behavioral component of the PCL-R (Factor 2) are significant predictors of violent behavior in male patients with schizophrenia. However, when the psychopathy scores are high, the probability for violence is already considerable and the level of hostility has only a slight effect. These findings suggest that improvement in illness condition may not reduce the likelihood for violence in male patients with a high psychopathic profile.     

因违法肇事被首次发现的精神分裂症临床特征对照分析

目的：通过对78例因违法肇事而被首次发现并诊断的精神分裂症与无违法犯罪首次住院的精神分裂症对照分析，旨在探讨有违法行为的精神分裂症病人的人口学特征和症状表现。方法：78例以违法肇事行为而首次发现并诊断精神分裂症者研究组。再随机入组78例与研究组同时期，同性别，同年龄的首次住院无违法肇事的精神分裂症作为对照组，采用t检验和χ^2检验骊两组资料进行统计分析。结果：因违法肇事被首次发现的精神分裂症病人在婚姻，学历，职业及居住地分布方面与对照组存在显著性差异（P＜0．01），在症状表现方面研究组较对照组情感淡漠者多（P＜0．01），对照组情感不协调和被跟踪者多（P＜0．01），结论：因违法肇事而被首次发现并诊断的精神分裂症多发生于县乡以下的农村，提示加强对农村的精神卫生知识宣传，提高农村人口素质，采取相应的预防措施，以减少精神分裂症病人的违法行为至关重要。     

Long-acting injectable risperidone compared with zuclopenthixol in the treatment of schizophrenia with substance abuse comorbidity.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of long-acting risperidone and zuclopenthixol in subjects with schizophrenia and substance abuse. METHOD: A total of 115 subjects with schizophrenia and substance use disorders were enrolled for an open, randomized, controlled, 6-month follow-up study. Fifty-seven subjects were selected for treatment with long-acting injectable risperidone, while another 58 were treated with zuclopenthixol-depot. RESULTS: Long-acting risperidone patients presented fewer positive urine tests (8.67 compared with 10.36, P = 0.005), showed improved scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and showed better compliance with the Substance Abuse Management program. The use of long-acting risperidone and less severe dependence explained the outcome at the end of the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Long-acting injectable risperidone was more effective than zuclopenthixol-depot in improving substance abuse and schizophrenia symptoms in subjects with dual diagnosis.     

Effect of olanzapine orally disintegrating tablet versus oral standard tablet on body weight in patients with schizophrenia: a randomized open-label trial

Olanzapine has frequently been reported to induce substantial weight gain, which is associated with an increased prevalence of dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes. Several reports have described that olanzapine orally disintegrating tablets (ODT) induce less weight gain than oral standard tablets (OST) do, although both forms have equal bioavailability. We tried to clarify whether or not body weight change differed between olanzapine ODT and OST treatments in olanzapine-naïve schizophrenia patients. An open-label, 12-month, multicenter, randomized, flexible-dose study was conducted for direct comparison of the effects of OST (mean dosage, 15.7 mg; N = 57) and ODT (mean dosage, 15.2 mg; N = 61) on body weight and metabolic measures such as blood glucose, hemoglobin_A1c, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides in olanzapine-naïve patients with schizophrenia. Outcome measures included Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment of Function (GAF), The World Health Organization Quality of Life 26 (WHO-QOL26), Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI)-10, and tolerability assessed by the UKU side-effect rating scale. This study was conducted between June 2007 and April 2010. No significant difference was found in the weight gain between the two forms of olanzapine. No significant difference was found between the two groups in any metabolic measure, efficacy, tolerability, WHO-QOL26, or DAI-10 score. Previous reports describing that olanzapine ODT induced less weight gain than OST were not supported by results of this randomized study.     

Risperidone versus zuclopenthixol in the treatment of acute schizophrenic episodes: a double-blind parallel-group trial

A double-blind, randomized, multi-center, parallel-group study was conducted in Finland to compare the efficacy and safety of risperidone with zuclopenthixol in patients with acute exacerbations of schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder. Ninety-eight patients were randomly assigned to treatment with risperidone (n= 48) or zuclopenthixol (n= 50), in variable doses, for 6 weeks. The mean daily doses of risperidone and zuclopenthixol at the end of the trial were 8 mg and 38 mg respectively. Efficacy was assessed throughout by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for schizophrenia and Clinical Global Impression. Safety assessments included the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale, UKU Side-Effect Rating Scale, vital signs, body weight and laboratory screening. The results indicate that risperidone is at least as effective as zuclopenthixol for the treatment of acute schizophrenic episodes, with a trend towards greater improvement in the overall severity of symptoms. The onset of action was significantly shorter with risperidone than with zuclopenthixol. Although the general tolerability of the two drugs was comparable, fewer patients experienced extrapyramidal symptoms with risperidone, so that significantly fewer risperidone-treated patients required antiparkinsonian medication.     

Switching from depot antipsychotic drugs to olanzapine in patients with chronic schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic schizophrenia (DSM-IV criteria) often receive depot antipsychotic medications to assure longer administration and better compliance with their treatment regimen. This study evaluated whether patients stabilized on depot antipsychotic medication could be successfully transitioned to oral olanzapine. METHOD: In a 3-month open-label study, 26 clinically stable patients with schizophrenia taking depot antipsychotics for over 3 years were randomly assigned to continue on their current depot dose or to switch to oral olanzapine. Clinical ratings (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS], Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF] scale, and Clinical Global Impressions [CGI] scale) and side effect parameters (Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale [AIMS], Barnes Akathisia Scale, AMDP-5 scale, vital signs, and weight) were obtained monthly. RESULTS: Oral olanzapine patients (N = 13) demonstrated significant clinical improvement over the depot control group (N = 13) from baseline to 3-month endpoint (PANSS total, p =.012; PANSS general, p =.068; PANSS negative, p =.098; CGI-Improvement, p =.007; CGI-Severity, p =.026; GAF, p =.015). Side effect rating scales showed no statistical differences between the 2 groups (AIMS, Barnes Akathisia Scale, AMDP-5, vital signs). The depot control group showed no statistical superiority in any measure except weight change (p =.0005). After 3 months, all olanzapine patients preferred olanzapine to their previous depot medications and chose to continue on olanzapine treatment. CONCLUSION: Clinicians may expect clinical improvement when switching chronically psychotic patients from traditional depot antipsychotic drugs to oral olanzapine. Switching may be completed within a 4-week period with relative compliance being maintained and patients preferring oral olanzapine to their previous depot medications.     

Sulpiride and perphenazine in schizophrenia. A double-blind clinical trial

Seventeen patients with acute schizophrenia and 30 with chronic schizophrenia were included in a randomized, double-blind parallel-group trial comparing sulpiride and perphenazine. Patients were evaluated using the 16-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) prior to the onset of treatment and 1 and 2 weeks, and 1, 2, 3, and 4 months thereafter. In patients with acute schizophrenia, total BPRS scores declined significantly at the end of the trial compared with pretreatment values in sulpiride-treated patients but not in schizophrenics treated with perphenazine. Differences in response between the groups did not reach statistical significance, however. For patients suffering from chronic schizophrenia, a statistically significant decline was observed in total BPRS scores at 4 months compared with pretreatment scores in both sulpiride and perphenazine groups. There was no significant difference in the treatment response between the groups. Sulpiride appeared to be somewhat more effective than perphenazine for treatment of acute schizophrenia. Efficacy of both compounds was less marked in chronic forms of schizophrenia.