Loading…

Quetiapine in schizophrenia: onset of action within the first week of treatment

SUMMARY Objective: Three placebo-controlled clinical trials have established the efficacy of the atypical antipsychotic quetiapine (Seroquel*) in schizophrenia. These trials were designed and powered to detect a treatment difference in the primary endpoint at Week 6. The objective of the current ana...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current medical research and opinion 2004-07, Vol.20 (7), p.1017-1023
Main Authors: Small, Joyce G., Kolar, Madeleine C., Kellams, Jeffrey J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:SUMMARY Objective: Three placebo-controlled clinical trials have established the efficacy of the atypical antipsychotic quetiapine (Seroquel*) in schizophrenia. These trials were designed and powered to detect a treatment difference in the primary endpoint at Week 6. The objective of the current analysis was to investigate the effect of quetiapine at earlier timepoints. Research design and methods: A combined analysis of data from three acute, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trials was carried out. The trials comprised hospitalised patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic or subchronic schizophrenia who were randomised to receive quetiapine 150-750 mg/day (n = 422) or placebo (n = 198). Symptoms were assessed using changes from baseline to Week 1 in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) total score, BPRS positive symptom cluster score and the individual BPRS items of excitement, tension and depression. Changes from baseline to Weeks 1-6 were calculated for BPRS Factor 1 scores (which measures mood symptoms) and Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) summary scores. Results: Within 1 week, overall symptom improvement (BPRS total score) was significantly ( p < 0.05) greater with quetiapine than with placebo; improvement also occurred in individual BPRS items of excitement, tension and depression. Improvement in negative symptoms was significantly ( p < 0.05) greater with quetiapine than with placebo from Week 1, as was the BPRS Factor I score from Week 2. More quetiapine- than placebo-treated patients showed a response of positive symptoms to treatment within 1 week ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: The beneficial effects of quetiapine are observed within 1 week across a broad spectrum of symptoms.
ISSN:0300-7995
1473-4877
DOI:10.1185/030079904125004033