본 연구는 aripiprazole이 만성 조현병 환자의 선택 약제로 사용될 수 있는 작은 가능성을 제시하였다고 평가할 수 있겠다. 많은 종류의 항정신병약물이 조현병의 치료를 위해 쓰여지고 있는 현 상황에서, 병의 경과 상 다양한 시점에 놓인 각각의 환자군에 대한 보다 많은 종류의 항정신병약물 효과에 대한 비교 연구가 축적된다면, 임상의사의 약물 선택에 대한 시행착오가 지금보다는 줄어들 수 있을 것이다.
Objectives:This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of aripiprazole in the schizophrenic patients with prominent negative symptoms. Methods:This study was a prospective, multicenter, single-group, 52-week open study of patients with schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder and schizoaffective disorder. A total of 300 Korean patients participated in the study. Among them, 39 patients with prominent negative symptoms were initially administered 15mg/day of aripiprazole for the first 2 weeks, and then treated with 10-30mg/day. The efficacy measures included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS) total, positive and negative subscale scores, the Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness(CGI-S), and the CGI-Global improvements(CGI-I). Results:The significant improvements were observed in all 3 PANSS parameters ; total(-35.72 ; p<.0001), positive subscale(-7.41 ; p<.0001), and negative subscale scores(-11.56 ; p<.0001). The difference between positive and negative subscale scores was significantly decreased from baseline to week 52. CGI-S was also decreased (-1.67 ; p<.0001), and 41.03% of patients appeared to respond according to CGI-I. Conclusion:Aripiprazole may be as much efficacious against negative symptoms as positive symptoms in schizophrenia. This suggests the possibility clinicians can consider aripiprazole as a drug of choice in the chronic schizophrenic patients with prominent negative symptoms before trying switching other antipsychotics with clozapine.