Risperidone in the early treatment of first-episode psychosis:: a two-year follow-up study

introduction. The main goals of any antipsychotic pharmacological treatment are the improvement of negative, positive, behavioral, affective and cognitive symptoms related to psychotic disorders, a good side-effects profile and again oil improvement in patient's quality of life and social-environmental relationships. The development of new atypical antipsychotic drugs has opened new therapeutical bias. Nevertheless only a few clinical studies have been developed studying new atypical antipsychotic on first psychotic episodes. Materials and methods. We developed all open, observational, multicenter and prospective study in order to evaluate effectiveness, tolerability and security of earl), treatment with risperidone in patients affected by a first psychotic episode (DSM IV diagnostic criteria) and the long-term effect of this treatment oil the clinical evolution of these patients. We recluted 436 patients (age 18-65) who bad never before received all), antipsycotic drug. Results. The most prevalent diagnosis was schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders no substance abuse related (90.6%). The average dosage of risperidone used during this study was 5.12 mg/d and most of the patients remained oil risperidone monotherapy We observed a statistically significant improvement in psychopathological scale PANSS (total; positive, negative and general subescales), Global Activity Scale (ETAG) and Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) scores from first month treatment on. This improvement was maintained during the two-year follow tip period. We also observed an improvement Young Mania Scale and Hamilton Depression Scale scores sustained from first month up to the end of the study. The number of patients hospitalized importantly decreased and most of them (95.9%) were ambulatory patients at the end of the study We also observed a decrease on UKU neurological side-effects scale scores (including parkinsonism)from sixth month tip to the end of the study and from basal to final evaluation. Other side effects related were amenorrhea (2.1%) and weight gain (1.6%). Investigators' opinion about risperidone efficacy and tolerability was good or very good in 84,4% and 91,6% respectively Discussion. This study concludes that risperidone is an effective, well tolerated all secure antipsychotic drug in the treatment of patients with a first-psychotic episode, and in our opinion is a first rank therapeutical alternative in these kind of patients.