Extrapyramidal symptoms during treatment of first schizophrenia episode: Results from EUFEST

The European First Episode Schizophrenia Trial (EUFEST) included first-episode schizophrenia patients, assessing the efficacy of five antipsychotic drugs (haloperidol, amisulpride, olanzapine, quetiapine and ziprasidone) over one year. Baseline frequency of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) in this group of patients (n=490) was as follows: parkinsonism 10.8%, akathisia 10.0%, dystonia 1.8%, and dyskinesia 0.6%. The frequency of parkinsonism at baseline was greater in patients with a brief prior exposure to antipsychotics (≤2 weeks) compared with antipsychotic-naïve ones, and was positively correlated with the intensity of negative symptoms and negatively with depressive symptoms.

Source: European Neuropsychopharmacology - July 21, 2014 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Janusz K. Rybakowski, Kristof Vansteelandt, Agnieszka Remlinger-Molenda, W. Wolfgang Fleischhacker, René S. Kahn, Joseph Peuskens, for the EUFEST Study Group Source Type: research