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Published on: April 5, 2011
Changes in QT interval after switching to quetiapine in Japanese patients with schizophrenia
Yutaro Suzuki1, Takuro Sugai, Naoki Fukui
1Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan. yutaro@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
Objectives:
There are few reports regarding quetiapine (QTP)-related QT prolongation. We examined the change in QT interval after switching from aripiprazole (ARP), olanzapine (OLZ), or risperidone (RIS) to QTP.
Methods:
Twenty subjects treated with ARP, OLZ, or RIS were enrolled in the study. Following baseline assessments, which included QT interval and electrolytes, these three drugs were switched to QTP for each subject. The same parameters were evaluated following a switch to QTP.
Results:
All 20 patients who had been treated with ARP, OLZ, or RIS were successfully switched to QTP. Significant increases were observed in the total mean corrected QT (QTc) interval after switching (p = 0.014). The coefficient of variation for the extent of change in QTc interval was 1.66. The mean QTc with ARP treatment was significantly increased after QTP treatment (p = 0.004).
Conclusions:
Quetiapine might have a greater effect on QTc interval than other second-generation antipsychotics. However, because there was a considerable variability in the extent of QTc prolongation after switch to QTP, further studies are required to clarify the effect of QTP on QTc interval.
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