The need for continuous use of antiparkinsonian medication with chronic schizophrenic patients receiving long-term neuroleptic therapy

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Abstract
In a double-blind 6 wk study, 98 chronic schizophrenic patients receiving long-term neuroleptic [including, alone or combination, chlorpromazine hydrochloride, thioridazine, fluphenazine decanoate, trifluoperazine hydrochloride, haloperidol, thioproperazine and levomepromazine] treatment and trihexyphenidyl were switched to either placebo or trihexyphenidyl. Of the 75 patients given placebo, 51 (68%) vs. 1 of the 23 patients who continued on active trihexyphenidyl developed severe worsening of extrapyramidal signs, necessitating early termination from the study. Of the placebo patients, 21 (28%) vs. 2 (8.7%) of the trihexyphenidyl patients developed less severe worsening. Of the placebo patients, 50 (66.6%) but only 2 (8.7%) of the trihexyphenidyl patients had psychotic or other severe physical symptoms related to withdrawal of prestudy antiparkinsonian medication. The need for continuous use of antiparkinsonian medication in the long-term neuroleptic therapy of chronic schizophrenic patients was supported.

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