No convincing evidence suggests that atypical antipsychotic medications are superior to typical medications for the treatment of adolescents with psychosis .
However , atypical antipsychotic medications may be more acceptable to young people because fewer symptomatic adverse effects are seen in the short term .
Little evidence is available to support the superiority of one atypical antipsychotic medication over another , but side effect profiles are different for different medications .
Treatment with olanzapine , risperidone and clozapine is often associated with weight gain .
Aripiprazole is not associated with increased prolactin or with dyslipidaemia .
Adolescents may respond better to st and ard-dose as opposed to lower-dose risperidone , but for aripiprazole and ziprasidone , lower doses may be equally effective .
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia often presents in adolescence , but current treatment guidelines are based largely on studies of adults with psychosis .
Over the past decade , the number of studies on treatment of adolescent-onset psychosis has increased .
The current systematic review collates and critiques evidence obtained on the use of various atypical antipsychotic medications for adolescents with psychosis .
OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of atypical antipsychotic medications in adolescents with psychosis .
We review ed in separate analyses various comparisons of atypical antipsychotic medications with placebo or a typical antipsychotic medication or another atypical antipsychotic medication or the same atypical antipsychotic medication but at a lower dose .
Tolerability of oral ziprasidone in children and adolescents with bipolar mania, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder.
OBJECTIVE This study characterizes the tolerability of ziprasidone in children and adolescents with bipolar mania , schizophrenia , or schizoaffective disorder . METHOD Sixty-three subjects ( aged 10 - 17 years ) entered an open-label study consisting of a 3-week fixed-dose period ( Period 1 ) and a subsequent 24-week flexible-dose period ( Period 2 ) . In Period 1 , subjects received ziprasidone 80 or 160 mg/d in two divided doses , titrated over 10 days . In Period 2 , subjects received flexible doses ( 20 - 160 mg/d ) . Tolerability was evaluated using movement rating scales , laboratory tests , and electrocardiograms . Clinical response was assessed using the Young Mania Rating Scale , the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-Anchored Version , and the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity scale . RESULTS Adverse events ( AEs ) occurred mostly during dose titration and in the high-dose ( 160 mg/d ) group . The most common AEs during Period 1 were sedation ( 32 % ) , somnolence ( 30 % ) , and nausea ( 25 % ) and during Period 2 were sedation ( 30 % ) , somnolence ( 30 % ) , and headache ( 25 % ) . The incidence of movement disorder AEs was 22 % and 16 % during Periods 1 and 2 , respectively . Six percent of study participants discontinued study participation due to AEs during Period 1 and 20 % discontinued in Period 2 . Thirty-three percent of subjects gained > or=7 % of their baseline weight . No Fridericia-corrected QT ( QTcF ) intervals of > 450 ms were observed during Period 1 and only one occurred during Period 2 . No QTcF increase > or=60 ms from baseline was observed . Symptom reductions were observed in all patient groups . CONCLUSIONS No unexpected tolerability findings were observed in this prospect i ve trial of ziprasidone in children and adolescents with bipolar mania , schizophrenia , or schizoaffective disorder . On the basis of the results , a starting dose of 20 mg/d titrated to between 80 and 160 mg/d over 1 - 2 weeks appears optimal for most patients
No convincing evidence suggests that atypical antipsychotic medications are superior to typical medications for the treatment of adolescents with psychosis .
However , atypical antipsychotic medications may be more acceptable to young people because fewer symptomatic adverse effects are seen in the short term .
Little evidence is available to support the superiority of one atypical antipsychotic medication over another , but side effect profiles are different for different medications .
Treatment with olanzapine , risperidone and clozapine is often associated with weight gain .
Aripiprazole is not associated with increased prolactin or with dyslipidaemia .
Adolescents may respond better to st and ard-dose as opposed to lower-dose risperidone , but for aripiprazole and ziprasidone , lower doses may be equally effective .
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia often presents in adolescence , but current treatment guidelines are based largely on studies of adults with psychosis .
Over the past decade , the number of studies on treatment of adolescent-onset psychosis has increased .
The current systematic review collates and critiques evidence obtained on the use of various atypical antipsychotic medications for adolescents with psychosis .
OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of atypical antipsychotic medications in adolescents with psychosis .
We review ed in separate analyses various comparisons of atypical antipsychotic medications with placebo or a typical antipsychotic medication or another atypical antipsychotic medication or the same atypical antipsychotic medication but at a lower dose .