Findings related to effectiveness ( treatment discontinuation , quality of life , and neurocognitive improvements ) were generally consistent with those observed in non-Chinese population s. No new safety signals specific for Chinese population s were raised for olanzapine .
Chinese and non-Chinese population s with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder treated with olanzapine display broadly similar responses .
BACKGROUND Despite the burden of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the Chinese population , country-specific data to guide practitioners regarding antipsychotic therapy are lacking .
Quality of life in schizophrenia: a multicenter, randomized, naturalistic, controlled trial comparing olanzapine to first-generation antipsychotics.
OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness of olanzapine for treating schizophrenia and to assess if olanzapine promotes a better quality of life than first-generation antipsychotics ( FGAs ) . METHOD Multicenter , naturalistic , r and omized controlled study , comparing olanzapine with FGAs , at hospitalization and during a 9-month follow-up . Outcome assessors were blind to the allocated drug . The dose of antipsychotic was determined by doctors according to their clinical practice routines . Data collection was performed from April 1999 to August 2001 . RESULTS 197 patients with DSM-IV-diagnosed schizophrenia were allocated to olanzapine ( N = 104 ) and FGA ( N = 93 ) . Patients taking olanzapine  showed greater improvements in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ( PANSS ) negative symptoms ( mean difference = 2.3 , 95 % CI = 0.6 to 4.1 ) and general psychopathology ( mean difference = 4.0 , 95 % CI = 0.8 to 7.2 ) sub-scales and fewer incidences of tardive dyskinesia ( RR = 2.4 , 95 % CI = 1.4 to 4.2 , p < .0001 ) . Olanzapine was also associated with greater improvement in a number of health-related quality -of-life outcomes on the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey , including physical functioning ( mean difference = 6.6 , 95 % CI = 1.2 to 11.9 ) , physical role limitations ( mean difference = 13.7 , 95 % CI = 3.0 to 24.3 ) , and emotional role limitations ( mean difference = 12.1 , 95 % CI = 0.7 to 23.5 ) . Patients taking olanzapine  gained significantly more weight during the trial than patients taking  FGAs  , with a correspondent endpoint increase in the body mass index ( BMI ) of 28.7 versus 25.3 ( p < .001 ) . CONCLUSION Compared with FGAs , olanzapine has advantages in terms of improvements of negative symptoms and quality of life . It is also associated with fewer incidences of tardive dyskinesia and greater increases in weight and BMI . These findings are highlighted by the naturalistic approach adopted in this trial
Findings related to effectiveness ( treatment discontinuation , quality of life , and neurocognitive improvements ) were generally consistent with those observed in non-Chinese population s. No new safety signals specific for Chinese population s were raised for olanzapine .
Chinese and non-Chinese population s with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder treated with olanzapine display broadly similar responses .
BACKGROUND Despite the burden of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the Chinese population , country-specific data to guide practitioners regarding antipsychotic therapy are lacking .