Journal of International Psychiatry

【Abstract】 Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of aripiprazole and olanzapine respectively and the effects of the two drugs on prolactin levels in patients with acute stage of first episode schizophrenia. Methods A total of 180 patients with first-episode acute schizophrenia who were treated in the psychiatric department of our hospital from November 2020 to December 2021 were selected and divided into aripiprazole group (90 cases) and olanzapine group (90 cases) according to random number table method. They were given oral aripiprazole treatment and olanzapine treatment, respectively. The course of treatment was 8 weeks. The positive and negative symptom scale (PANSS table) scores and prolactin levels before and after treatment were investigated and analyzed, and the therapeutic efficacy and adverse reactions of the two groups were compared. Results There were no differences in the total score of PANSS, the score of each factor (positive symptom, negative symptom, general psychopathological symptom), BMI and prolactin level between 2 groups before treatment (P>0.05). Compared with before treatment, the total score of PANSS and each factor score of the two groups were significantly decreased after treatment (P<0.05), but there was no difference between the two groups after treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, BMI and prolactin levels in Olanzapine group were significantly increased compared with before treatment (P<0.05), while BMI and prolactin levels in aripiprazole group were not significantly different compared with before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, BMI and prolactin levels in aripiprazole group were significantly lower than those in olanzapine group (P <0.05). The total clinical response rate after treatment (aripiprazole: 86.67% vs. Olanzapine :83.33%) and adverse reaction rate (aripiprazole :20.00% vs. Olanzapine: 25.56%) showed no difference (P>0.05). Conclusion Oral aripiprazole or olanzapine has the same therapeutic effect in acute stage of first episode schizophrenia, and there is no difference in adverse reactions. However, olanzapine treatment significantly improves body mass and blood prolactin levels, while aripiprazole treatment has no effect.

【 Key words 】 Aripiprazole; Olanzapine; First-episode schizophrenia; Clinical effect; prolactin