Occurrence of macroprolactinemia in schizophrenia patients treated with risperidone or amisulpride.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate macroprolactinemia caused by antipsychotics and its clinical significance. METHODS: A total of 133 patients with schizophrenia were selected, all of whom were treated with either risperidone or amisulpride alone. The levels of total prolactin (T-PRL) and macroprolactin (MPRL) were measured before treatment as well as the second, fourth, and sixth weeks of treatment. RESULTS: After 2 weeks of treatment, 75.09% (100/133) of the patients met the diagnostic criteria for hyperprolactinemia, the incidence of macroprolactinemia was 43% (43/100), and MPRL levels were positively correlated T-PRL levels. CONCLUSION: Risperidone and amisulpride caused hyperprolactinemia and macroprolactinemia; thus, detection of MPRL in the clinical setting should be performed as this phenomenon appears early in treatment (the second week) and continues, that can avoid unnecessary examination and treatment for asymptomatic patients with macroprolactinemia.

Effects of Risperidone on Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor in First Episode Schizophrenic Patients / 医药导报

Objective To observe the effect of risperidone on serum brain derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF) in first-episode schizophrenic patients. Methods In the treatment group, 90 first-episode schizophrenics were treated with risperidone for 16 weeks, and the dose of risperidone was (3.79±0.88) mg·d-1. Serum BDNF levels were measured before treatment, at 2, 8, and 16 weeks after treatment. The severity of schizophrenia symptoms was assessed by the positive and negative symptom scale ( PANSS) before and after sixteen weeks of treatment. Serum BDNF concentrations were measured in 90 healthy controls. Results BDNF in the control group was (22.867±6.051) ng·mL-1. The serum BDNF levels before treatment and at the end of week 2, 8, 16 after the treatment in the treatment group were (14.256±4.096), (13.078±3.462), (18.001±5.753), (21.089± 6.692) ng·mL-1 , and the serum BDNF level was significantly lower in the treatment group than that in the control group ( P<0.01) . After the treatment, the level of BDNF in the treatment group decreased at first and then increased, compared with that before treatment, the difference was significantly ( P<0.05 or P<0.01) . The level of BDNF in the treatment group at the end of week 16 was not significantly different from that of the control group ( P>0.05) . After treatment, the total score of PANSS scale and its subscales decreased, the difference was significantly (P<0.01). At the end of week 16, the PANSS subscale reduction rate was positively correlated to the serum BDNF concentration change (r=0.499, P=0.001). The change rate of serum BDNF concentration at the end of week 16 was not correlated with the dose of risperidone (r=0.103, P=0.335). Conclusion BDNF is abnormal in the first episode of schizophrenia, which can be improved by risperidone treatment.

Effects of Risperidone on Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor in First Episode Schizophrenic Patients / 医药导报

Objective To observe the effect of risperidone on serum brain derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF) in first-episode schizophrenic patients. Methods In the treatment group, 90 first-episode schizophrenics were treated with risperidone for 16 weeks, and the dose of risperidone was (3.79±0.88) mg·d-1. Serum BDNF levels were measured before treatment, at 2, 8, and 16 weeks after treatment. The severity of schizophrenia symptoms was assessed by the positive and negative symptom scale ( PANSS) before and after sixteen weeks of treatment. Serum BDNF concentrations were measured in 90 healthy controls. Results BDNF in the control group was (22.867±6.051) ng·mL-1. The serum BDNF levels before treatment and at the end of week 2, 8, 16 after the treatment in the treatment group were (14.256±4.096), (13.078±3.462), (18.001±5.753), (21.089± 6.692) ng·mL-1 , and the serum BDNF level was significantly lower in the treatment group than that in the control group ( P<0.01) . After the treatment, the level of BDNF in the treatment group decreased at first and then increased, compared with that before treatment, the difference was significantly ( P<0.05 or P<0.01) . The level of BDNF in the treatment group at the end of week 16 was not significantly different from that of the control group ( P>0.05) . After treatment, the total score of PANSS scale and its subscales decreased, the difference was significantly (P<0.01). At the end of week 16, the PANSS subscale reduction rate was positively correlated to the serum BDNF concentration change (r=0.499, P=0.001). The change rate of serum BDNF concentration at the end of week 16 was not correlated with the dose of risperidone (r=0.103, P=0.335). Conclusion BDNF is abnormal in the first episode of schizophrenia, which can be improved by risperidone treatment.