Risperidone versus olanzapine for the treatment of delirium

• Published in: Human psychopharmacology 2010-06, Vol.25 (4), p.298-302
• Main Authors: Kim, Sung-Wan, Yoo, Joon-An, Lee, Sam-Yeon, Kim, Seon-Young, Bae, Kyung-Yeol, Yang, Su-Jin, Kim, Jae-Min, Shin, Il-Seon, Yoon, Jin-Sang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged, 80 and over; Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; Benzodiazepines - adverse effects; Benzodiazepines - therapeutic use; Data Interpretation, Statistical; delirium; Delirium - drug therapy; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; DRS-R-98; Female; Humans; Male; olanzapine; older age; risperidone; Risperidone - adverse effects; Risperidone - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0885-6222; 1099-1077
• DOI: 10.1002/hup.1117

Objective This study compared the effectiveness of risperidone and olanzapine in the treatment of delirium. Methods This was a 7‐day, randomized, comparative clinical trial of risperidone and olanzapine in patients with delirium. The primary outcome measure was the Delirium Rating Scale‐Revised‐98 (DRS‐R‐98). Results We enrolled 32 subjects (median age, 70 years). Significant within‐group improvements in the DRS‐R‐98 scores over time were observed at every time point in both treatment groups; however, differences in the change of the DRS‐R‐98 score from baseline were not significant between the treatment groups. On the first day after drug treatment, there was a trend toward greater improvement in the DRS‐R‐98 score in the olanzapine group compared with the risperidone group, but it did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.076). The response rates did not differ significantly between the two groups (risperidone group: 64.7%, olanzapine group: 73.3%). However, the response to risperidone was significantly poorer in patients ≥70 years of age compared with those aged