Pentoxifylline as an adjunctive in treatment of negative symptoms in chronic schizophrenia: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Mahmoud S Abdallah, Esraa M Mosalam, Ahmed Hassan, Ahmed N Ramadan, Hend Omara-Reda, Abdel-Aziz A Zidan, Waad A Samman, Eman I El-Berri, Mahmoud S Abdallah, Esraa M Mosalam, Ahmed Hassan, Ahmed N Ramadan, Hend Omara-Reda, Abdel-Aziz A Zidan, Waad A Samman, Eman I El-Berri

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness and safety of pentoxifylline as an adjuvant to risperidone in mitigating the negative symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Methods: In this randomized, placebo-controlled study, eighty outpatients with chronic schizophrenia were given risperidone for 8 weeks along with either pentoxifylline or a placebo. The positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) was used to assess patients at the start of the trial, as well as at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. Pre- and posttreatment serum levels of cAMP, TNF-α-, and IL-6 were measured.

Results: The pentoxifylline group revealed a significant effect for time-treatment interaction on PANSS-negative subscale scores (p < 0.001), PANSS general psychopathology subscale scores (p < 0.001), and PANSS total scores (p < 0.001), but not on PANSS-positive subscale scores (p = 0.169). Additionally, when compared to the placebo group, the pentoxifylline group demonstrated a statistically significant increase in cAMP serum level and a statistically significant decrease in TNF-α and IL-6 serum levels.

Conclusion: Pentoxifylline adjunctive therapy with risperidone for 8 weeks was found to be promising in mitigating the negative symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Trial registration number: NCT04094207.

Keywords: PANSS; inflammatory cytokines; negative symptoms; pentoxifylline; phosphodiesterase inhibitor; schizophrenia.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors state they have no competing or financial interests.

© 2022 The Authors. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flow chart of the study participants
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The two therapies' effects on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Data presented as means ± SD: (A) Negative, (B) Positive, (C) General psychopathology, and (D) Total scores. NS, non‐significant

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Source: PubMed

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