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 .
International multisite double-blind trial of the atypical antipsychotics risperidone and olanzapine in 175 elderly patients with chronic schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE The authors compared the effects of the two most commonly used atypical antipsychotics , risperidone and olanzapine , in elderly patients with schizophrenia . METHODS In an 8-week , international , double-blind study , patients ( out patients , hospital in patients , and residents of nursing or boarding homes ) were r and omly assigned to receive risperidone ( 1 mg to 3 mg/day ) or olanzapine ( 5 mg to 20 mg/day ) . The main outcome measures were changes in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ( PANSS ) total scores and rates of extrapyramidal symptoms ( EPS ) . RESULTS Subjects were 175 patients age 60 years or over with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder . The mean duration of illness was 36.5 years . Median doses were 2 mg/day of risperidone and 10 mg/day of olanzapine .  PANSS total scores and four of the five PANSS factor scores ( positive symptoms , negative symptoms , disorganized thoughts , and anxiety/depression ) improved significantly at all time-points and at endpoint in both groups ; between-treatment differences were not significant . EPS-related adverse events were reported by 9.2 % of patients in the risperidone group and 15.9 % in the olanzapine group ; the between-treatment difference was not significant . Total scores on the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale were reduced in both groups at endpoint ; between-treatment differences were not significant . Clinical ly relevant weight gain was seen in both groups , but was significantly less frequent in risperidone patients than in olanzapine patients . CONCLUSIONS Stable elderly patients with chronic schizophrenia receiving appropriate doses of risperidone or olanzapine over an 8-week period experienced significant reductions in the severity of psychotic and extrapyramidal symptoms , with a relatively low risk of side effects
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 .