Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of blonanserin in schizophrenic patients who used other atypical antipsychotics (AAP) and switched to blonanserin due to inadequate responses or unwanted drug effects.

Methods: A total of 63 patients (male=33, female=30) with schizophrenia who were partially or completely unresponsive (N=52 (82.5%)) or intolerable to treatment with existing AAP (N=11 (17.5%)) were recruited in this 12-week, open-label, prospective study. Blonanserin was cross-titrated for 2 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). Tolerability was also evaluated using Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), Barns Akathisia Scale (BARS), Simson Angus Rating Scale (SARS). All assessments were done at baseline, weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12.

Results: Among 63 patients, premature discontinuation occurred in 22 patients (34.9%); 6 of these patients were dropped out due to adverse events. Switching to blonanserin was effective and well-tolerated in both group. The BPRS total score was significantly decreased at 12 weeks after switching to blonanserin in both unresponsive group (-15.3±14.4, p<0.001) and intolerable group (-2.81±5.1, p<0.001). The SOFAS total score was significantly increased in unresponsive group (7.1±11.1, p<0.001), but not in intolerable group (-1.0±7.5, p=0.639). There were no significant differences between baseline and any assessment points on SARS, BARS, AIMS scores in both group.

Conclusion: These results showed that switching to blonanserin could be an effective strategy for schizophrenic patients who were unresponsive or intolerable to other atypical antipsychotic treatments.

Biography:
Dr. Bo-HyunYoon is a Korean psychiatrist who is working at a national mental hospital. He is a vice-president of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology (KCNP) and president of the Korean Society of Affective Disorder (KSAD). His major interests are Psychopharmacology and mood disorders