Therapeutic effects of bromperidol on the five dimensions of schizophrenic symptoms

Therapeutic profiles of bromperidol and their relationship with plasma drug concentration and prolactin response were investigated in 30 acutely exacerbated schizophrenic patients treated with randomly allocated fixed-doses of bromperidol (6, 12 or 18 mg/day) for 3 weeks. The mean values (+/-S.D.) of percentage improvement at 3 weeks in total Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and five subgrouped symptoms were 59.8 +/- 29.2% for total, 64.6 +/- 37.5% for positive, 73.3 +/- 33.7% for excitement, 80.2 +/- 45.5% for cognitive, 43.1 +/- 46.5% for negative and 49.6 +/- 46.8% for anxiety-depression symptoms, respectively. Twenty (67%) of 30 patients were responders defined as having 50% or more symptom reduction significantly greater in responders than those in nonresponders after 2 weeks. Mean plasma bromperidol concentration in patients with 50% or more reduction in positive symptoms was significantly higher than in the others (8.2 +/- 4.7 vs. 4.1 +/- 1.8 ng/ml, P < .05). Percentage improvement in total BPRS at I and 2 weeks were correlated well with that at 3 weeks. These findings suggest that an early improvement in positive and anxiety-depression symptoms results in favorable outcome of total response to bromperidol treatment. Plasma drug monitoring may have a limited predictive value for improvement in positive symptoms. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.