These results show that IM aripiprazole is an effective treatment, comparable to IM haloperidol, and well-tolerated for acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia.

The efficacy and safety of risperidone long-acting injectable (RLAI) was investigated in patients in the early phases of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders (< or = 3 years). Patients who required a treatment change received RLAI (2-weekly gluteal injections of 25, 37.5 or 50 mg, per clinical judgement), without an oral risperidone run-in phase.A total of 382 patients were included in this 6-month open-label study; 73% of patients completed the study. A total of 84% had schizophrenia with a median duration of 1.0 year since diagnosis. Previous medications were mainly atypical antipsychotics (70%) and depot neuroleptics (24%). The main reasons for treatment change were non-compliance (42%) and insufficient efficacy (31%) of previous medication. The total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and all its subscale scores improved significantly (p < or = 0.0001), with 40% of patients showing a 20% improvement on total PANSS. Global Assessment of Functioning, quality of life, patient satisfaction and movement disorders also improved significantly. Tolerability of RLAI was generally good and no unexpected adverse events were reported. The ensured delivery of medication with RLAI resulted in significant symptom improvement in this patient population. Direct initiation of RLAI is well accepted by patients. RLAI might represent a novel option for patients in the early phases of psychosis.

Background and Goal. The aim was to examine the serum levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and their associations with the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T polymorphism in patients with schizophrenia and mood disorders as well as controls. Materials and Methods. There were 198 patients: 82 with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, 22 with mood disorders, and 94 controls. The level of Hcy was determined by an isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography system. MTHFR C677T polymorphism was analysed using the restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction method. Results. The average level of Hcy was 11.94 ± 5.6 μmol/L for patients with schizophrenia, 11.65 ± 3.3 μmol/L for patients with affective disorders, versus 6.80 ± 2.93 μmol/L in a control. The highest level of Hcy has been observed in patients with episodic-recurrent course of schizophrenia (11.30 ± 7.74 μmol/L), paranoid schizophrenia continuous (12.76 ± 5.25 μmol/L), and in patients with affective disorders (11.65 ± 3.26 μmol/L). An association between the MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism and Hcy level was found by linear regression analysis (r = 1.41, P = 0.029). Conclusions. The data indicate a link between Hcy levels and schizophrenia and mood disorders. No associations between the level of Hcy in patients with schizophrenia and mood disorders and the MTHFR C677T polymorphism were found.

The level of Hcy is higher in the blood of a heterozygotic person who becomes ill with schizophrenia, and the process of the illness is more serious and with more typical affective disorders.

Intramuscular aripiprazole is effective in patients with acute agitation associated with schizophrenia, comparable to IM haloperidol, and enables convenient transfer to oral aripiprazole therapy.