Depressive symptoms in first episode schizophrenia patients under treatment: one-year follow-up comparison of classical and atypical antipsychotics

Objective: Depression is an important syndrome occurring frequently during the course of schizophrenia. In patients using atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia, depressive symptoms are expected at a lower rate. In this retrospective study, evaluation of depressive symptoms in patients who were monitored for one year with first-episode schizophrenia using atypical or conventional antipsychotic treatment was intended. Methods: The study was carried out by examining the records of 93 patients with first-episode schizophrenia. The data of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Calgary Depression Scale were used for evaluation. Classical antipsychotics (n=21), olanzapine (n=28), risperidone (n=25) or quetiapine (n=19) were found to be used in the treatment of subjects. According to clinical status, the subjects were invited to the controls at intervals not longer than two months. The above scales were applied to subjects at each control to measure the depressive symptoms and to determine the relationship of those with clinical variables. Results: The classic antipsychotic group (57.1%) showed more significantly severe depressive symptoms (HAM-D score≥17) than the atypical antipsychotic group (31.9%). The rate of depression and depressive symptoms were similar among the subjects used atypical antipsychotic agents. Conclusion: Possibly depending on their mechanism of action and the effects on negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia, the atypical antipsychotic drugs showed lower rate of depression compared to conventional antipsychotics. [Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg 2015; 16(1.000): 7-13]