Esquire trial: efficacy and adverse effects of quetiapine versus risperidone in first-episode schizophrenia

To compare the efficacy and adverse effect profiles of 2 widely used atypical antipsychotics in the short-term phase of first-episode schizophrenia in patients who were treatment-naive. A secondary objective was to establish the effective dose of these drugs in this context.

A total of 72 patients with a first episode of schizophreniform psychosis (schizophrenia spectrum disorder) with less than 2 weeks of exposure to antipsychotic medication were randomized to quetiapine or risperidone in a single-blind 12-week controlled trial. Psychopathologic diagnoses and adverse effects were assessed by blinded raters at 4 weekly intervals. Medication was administered by a specialized clinical team following dosing guidelines. Data were analyzed using an intention-to-treat paradigm.

Both quetiapine and risperidone were associated with a reduction in immediate symptoms and relatively few adverse effects other than weight gain. There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 compounds in adverse effects, relative efficacies, or adherence to treatment. The median (SD) time to cessation for patients randomized to quetiapine was 65.3 (41.85) days and that for risperidone was 82.5 (44.88) days. There was no statistically significant difference between time to discontinuation for the 2 compounds. The mean daily doses prescribed were 375 mg of quetiapine and 2.72 mg of risperidone.

Quetiapine and risperidone are both effective treatments in first-episode schizophrenia at doses lower than those used in patients with long-term schizophrenia and are similar in efficacy and the incidence of adverse effects.