Clinical efficacy and safety of lurasidone in schizophrenia: 8 week randomized double blind active controlled trial

Background: Schizophrenia comprises a group of disorders with heterogeneous etiologies, it includes patients whose clinical presentations, treatment response, and courses of illness vary. This study was carried to study the clinical efficacy and safety of Lurasidone versus Risperidone on psychopathology and cognition in patients with first episode of schizophrenia. Methods: Patients diagnosed with first episode of schizophrenia were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomized to 80 mg/d (n = 27) of Lurasidone or 6mg/d (n = 27) of Risperidone. Efficacy assessments included Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores, Schizophrenia cognition rating scale (SCoRS). IL-6 estimation was done and safety assessment was done using UKU side effect rating scale. Results: During the eight weeks of study; significant improvement was observed in PANSS total and all its subscale scores with both Lurasidone and Risperidone. Mean change in PANSS scores were not significant between the groups (-32.93 vs -35.33 p>0.05). Mean change in SCoRS scores were significantly higher in Lurasidone group as compared to risperidone group (-8.43 vs -2.34, p 0.05). UKU side effect rating scores were significantly higher with Risperidone as compared to Lurasidone (p<0.001). Conclusions: Lurasidone is as effective as Risperidone in improving psychopathology in patient of schizophrenia. Lurasidone proved more efficacious in improving cognition as compared to Risperidone. Both the treatment modalities are efficacious in lowering IL-6 levels. Lurasidone causes less adverse effects as compared to Risperidone.