A randomized, controlled, dose-ranging trial of sertindole in patients with schizophrenia. Long-term efficacy and safety comparison of sertindole and haloperidol in the treatment of schizophrenia. The Sertindole Study Group.
Sertindole is a novel antipsychotic agent with high selectivity for the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway and nanomolar affinities for dopamine D2, serotonin 5-HT2, and norepinephrine NE alpha 1 receptors. This 40-day randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging multicenter study was designed to assess the effect of sertindole on previously neuroleptic-responsive, hospitalized schizophrenic patients (n = 205). Sertindole doses began at 4 mg/day and were increased to 8, 12, or 20 mg/day, depending on randomization. Efficacy measures included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) were assessed by movement rating scales, EPS-related adverse events, and use of anti-EPS medications. A dose-related improvement was observed for PANSS, BPRS, and CGI, with statistically significant mean differences (P < 0.05) between placebo and 20-mg/day sertindole (decreases from baseline of -5.8 versus -16.9 for PANSS, -4.8 versus -10.4 for BPRS, respectively). The differences in CGI final improvement score between placebo and 20-mg/day sertindole were 3.8 versus 2.9, respectively. EPS-related events were comparable in the placebo and sertindole groups. In conclusion, sertindole 20 mg/day was effective, well tolerated, and not associated with significant motor system abnormalities. Sertindole is an atypical antipsychotic that is efficacious in schizophrenia and is associated infrequently with extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS). This study assessed time to treatment failure with 24 mg/day sertindole or 10 mg/day haloperidol in 282 clinically stable neuroleptic-responsive outpatients with schizophrenia. During a 5-week transition period, patients were randomized to treatment with sertindole or haloperidol; other treatments were gradually discontinued. Patients then received treatment through Day 365. Time to treatment failure was numerically superior in sertindole-treated patients compared with haloperidol-treated patients, although this difference was not statistically significant. Sertindole-treated patients, however, remained free of hospitalization for exacerbation of schizophrenia and remained medically compliant significantly longer than did haloperidol-treated patients. In addition, there were significantly fewer reports of EPS in sertindole-treated patients and sertindole therapy was generally well tolerated. Patients transitioned well from other antipsychotic agents to sertindole. Sertindole appears to be an effective long-term treatment for schizophrenia.