A Study of the Effectiveness and Safety of Risperidone Compared With Haloperidol and Placebo in Patients With Chronic Schizophrenia

February 10, 2011 updated by: Janssen, LP

Risperidone Versus Haloperidol Versus Placebo in the Treatment of Chronic Schizophrenia

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different doses of risperidone (an antipsychotic medication) compared with placebo and with a fixed 20 mg/day dose of a standard antipsychotic, haloperidol, in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Chronic schizophrenia is a longer-term condition that is characterized by a lack of drive, underactivity and slowness, and social withdrawal. As with the acute form of schizophrenia, delusions and hallucinations are common. This is a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of four dosages of risperidone (2, 6, 10 or 16 mg/day) compared with placebo and with a fixed 20 mg/day dose of a standard antipsychotic, haloperidol in patients with chronic schizophrenia who are in-patients at the beginning of the study.

The study is composed of two phases: a 1-week period, in which patients receive placebo and all current medication for schizophrenia treatment is stopped, followed by a double-blind treatment phase. The doses of study drug are increased progressively during the first week of the double-blind period and then remain constant for the next 7 weeks. The primary measures of effectiveness are the percentage of patients showing clinical improvement (reduction of >=20% from baseline) on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS) and the total PANSS score, from baseline to end of double-blind treatment. The PANSS is a rating scale that measures the symptoms of schizophrenia. Safety evaluations include the incidence of adverse events, results of clinical laboratory tests (hematology, biochemistry, and urinalysis), plasma levels of risperidone, measurements of vital signs and body weight, physical examination and electrocardiogram (ECG) findings, neurological examinations, and the Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale (ESRS), a scale used to measure effects of antipsychotic medications on motor functions of the patient. The study hypothesis is that risperidone is more effective than placebo, as measured by clinical improvement on PANSS and the average total score for PANSS, in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Risperidone tablets, taken orally, starting with 1 mg twice daily, gradually increasing dose in Week 1 (except for 1 mg twice daily group), then 1, 3, 5, or 8 mg twice daily, continuing for 7 weeks. Haloperidol tablets, starting 1 mg twice daily and increasing to 10 mg twice daily (Week 1), continuing 10 mg twice daily for 7 weeks.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

523

Phase

  • Phase 3

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with diagnosis of chronic schizophrenic disorder, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases, 3rd edition (DSM-III-R) criteria and are inpatients at the beginning of study
  • total score on the PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia) rating scale at study entry of >=60 and <=120
  • females of childbearing age must demonstrate adequate birth control measures and have a negative pregnancy test before study entry.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with mental disorders other than chronic schizophrenic disorder
  • patients with clinically significant organic or neurological diseases
  • patients with epilepsy
  • history of alcohol or drug abuse history within the 6 months before study entry.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Percent of patients showing clinical improvement, defined as a >=20% reduction in the total PANSS score from baseline to end of double-blind treatment, and the mean change from baseline to end of double-blind treatment in total PANSS score.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Mean PANSS Positive Subscale Score; Mean PANSS Negative Subscale Score; mean PANSS General Psychopathology Subscale Score; CGI severity; CGI overall change from baseline; safety evaluations conducted throughout the study.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Janssen, LP

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Completion (Actual)

July 1, 1991

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 4, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 4, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

November 7, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

February 11, 2011

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 10, 2011

Last Verified

February 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • CR006067

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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