An open-label trial of quetiapine for antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction

This study evaluated the effect of switching outpatients with schizophrenia and antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction to open-label quetiapine treatment. Secondary objectives were to compare the antipsychotic and prolactin-related effects of quetiapine versus prestudy antipsychotic treatment. Eight patients with at least moderately severe antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction (N = 7 taking risperidone, 4-6 mg/d; N = 1 taking haloperidol, 10 mg/d) were evaluated prospectively after they switched to 6 weeks of quetiapine treatment. The assessments that we used included evaluations of sexual functioning (Arizona Sexual Experience Scale [ASEX]; McGahuey et al., 2000), psychopathology (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale [PANSS]; Kay, Fiszbeinm, & Opler, 1997), adverse events, and plasma prolactin levels. Quetiapine was associated with clinically and statistically significant improvement in ASEX total scores (p = 0.008) and significantly decreased PANSS total scores (p = 0.03). Plasma prolactin levels tended to decrease after the transition to quetiapine (p = 0.09). Quetiapine appears to offer an option to reduce antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction for outpatients with schizophrenia.