A double‐blind multicentre study comparing remoxipride, two and three times daily, with haloperidol in schizophrenia

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Abstract
A double‐blind multicentre study comparing the efficacy and safety of remoxipride in relation to haloperidol was conducted in 160 inpatients with schizophrenic illness diagnosed according to DSM‐III. The study period was 4 weeks. The mean daily dose of remoxipride (whether given twice or three times daily) during the last week of treatment was 395 mg; the corresponding dose of haloperidol was 17 mg per day. No significant difference in therapeutic efficacy was found; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) median total scores dropped from 41 to 20 (remoxipride twice daily, n=51), 43 to 20 (remoxipride three times daily, n=44) 40 to 19 (haloperidol three times daily, n=48) at last valid rating. According to Clinical Global Impression (CGI) 68% in the remoxipride twice daily, 58% in the three times daily and 60% in the haloperidol group were very much or much improved. Treatment‐emergent extrapyramidal checklist symptoms (hypokinesia, rigidity and tremor) were statistically significantly more frequent and more severe during haloperidol than during remoxipride treatment despite a statistically significantly higher concurrent use of anticholinergic drugs in the haloperidol group. Haloperidol treated patients reported more tiredness and drowsiness than remoxipride treated patients. Also, haloperidol treated patients had a significantly higher frequency of extrapyramidal symptoms on 8 out of 10 items of the Simpson and Angus scale.