Efficacy and Tolerability of Ziprasidone vs. Olanzapine in Naive First-Episode Schizophrenia: A 6-Week, Randomized, Open-Label, Flexible-Dose Study

Abstract

Introduction:

Although some previous studies have compared the 2 medicines, ziprasidone and olanzapine most selected chronic patients as subjects. Therefore, the present study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of ziprasidone vs. olanzapine in naive first-episode schizophrenia.

Methods:

80 patients were randomly assigned to a 6-week treatment either with 80–160 mg/day of ziprasidone or 10–20 mg/day of olanzapine. The primary efficacy measurements were the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Clinical Global Impression-severity scale scores. The second efficacy measurement was the response rate of treatment. Tolerability assessments were also performed.

Results:

79 patients completed the trial. The average dose was 127.5 mg/day with ziprasidone and 19.1 mg/day with olanzapine. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in primary or secondary efficacy measurements at each visit point (all p>0.05). Body weight significantly increased with olanzapine, and more extrapyramidal symptoms were observed with ziprasidone (all p<0.05). Both medicines were well tolerated, and no serious adverse events were observed.

Conclusion:

Ziprasidone was as effective as olanzapine in short-term treatment for first-episode schizophrenia, and both medicines were well tolerated.

Key words

ziprasidone - olanzapine - randomized control study - efficacy - tolerability

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