Randomized clinical comparison of perospirone and risperidone in patients with schizophrenia: Kansai Psychiatric Multicenter Study

Aim: Perospirone is classified as a second‐generation antipsychotic agent for the treatment of schizophrenia. Perospirone binds with high affinity to serotonin 5‐HT2A receptors and dopamine D2 receptors. There are no reports of clinical comparisons of perospirone and risperidone in multicenter studies. To clarify the clinical traits of perospirone in the treatment of schizophrenia, the clinical efficacies and side‐effects of perospirone and risperidone were compared in a randomized clinical multicenter trial. Methods: Sixty‐six schizophrenia patients were enrolled in the trial. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total, positive, negative and general symptoms scores and Drug‐Induced Extra‐Pyramidal Symptoms Scale (DIEPSS) scores were investigated at 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Results: Significant reductions in the PANSS total and subscale scores were observed in both the perospirone and risperidone groups, with no significant between‐group differences at 4 and 12 weeks. Risperidone improved the total scores and overall psychopathologic symptom total scores more effectively than perospirone at week 8. There were no significant differences in the DIEPSS scores at 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks between the perospirone and risperidone groups. The numbers of patients who dropped out did not differ between the perospirone and risperidone groups. Conclusions: Perospirone was as effective as risperidone against positive and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Both antipsychotic agents were equally well‐tolerated.