Outcomes in schizophrenia outpatients treated with amisulpride or olanzapine

Introduction: We compared stable patients with schizophrenia who were treated with either amisulpride or olanzapine in terms of symptomatic outcome, neurocognitive functioning, functionality, and subjective outcome. Methods: Sixty outpatients with chronic schizophrenia who had been treated with either amisulpride or olanzapine for at least six months were investigated. Results: The scores of positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms did not differ between the two groups, but patients treated with olanzapine had significantly lower scores on the excitement and depression/anxiety components of the PANSS. With regard to cognitive variables, patients treated with amisulpride showed significantly lower values regarding verbal fluency and significantly better verbal memory than patients treated with olanzapine. Both treatment groups were comparable with respect to functional and subjective outcome variables. Discussion: These observations add to the evidence that continuous treatment with different second-gene ration antipsychotics with relatively few side effects leads to comparable outcomes in patients with schizophrenia.