Adjunctive Reboxetine for Schizophrenia: Meta-analysis of Randomized Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trials

Results of previous studies on the safety and efficacy of adjunctive reboxetine for schizophrenia have been inconsistent.

The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and tolerability of reboxetine as an adjunct medication to antipsychotic treatment in a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Two independent investigators extracted data for a random effects meta-analysis and assessed the quality of studies using risk of bias and the Jadad scale. Weighted and standardized mean differences (WMDs/SMDs) and risk ratio (RR)±95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Nine RCTs (n=630) with double-blind design were identified. Reboxetine outperformed placebo in improving negative (9 RCTs, n=602, SMD: -0.47 [95% CI: -0.87, -0.07], p=0.02; I²=82%), but not the overall, positive, and general psychopathology scores. The significant therapeutic effect on negative symptoms disappeared in the sensitivity analysis after removing an outlying study and in 50% (6/12) of the subgroup analyses. Reboxetine outperformed placebo in reducing weight (3 RCTs, n=186, WMD: -3.83 kg, p=0.04; I²=92%) and body mass index (WMD: -2.23 kg/m², p=0.04; I²=95%). Reboxetine caused dry mouth but was associated with less weight gain overall and weight gain of ≥7% of the initial weight. All-cause discontinuation and other adverse events were similar between reboxetine and placebo.

Adjunctive reboxetine could be useful for attenuating antipsychotic-induced weight gain, but it was not effective in treating psychopathology including negative symptoms in schizophrenia.