Review: amisulpride is effective and safe for schizophrenia.

Main results 18 studies (2214 patients) met the selection criteria. Study duration ranged from 3 weeks to 1 year (mean 12 wks). Patients were mostly men in their 30s with moderate to severe schizophrenia (mean duration 3–37 y). Comparators were usually haloperidol and placebo; 4 studies compared amisulpride with flupentixol, perazine, and fluphenazine. Amisulpride led to a greater mean reduction in BPRS score from baseline than conventional antipsychotics in acutely ill patients (table). In patients with persistent, predominantly negative symptoms, amisulpride was better than placebo (but not conventional antipsychotics) for mean change in negative symptoms (table). In patients with acute exacerbations, amisulpride led to a greater mean change in negative symptoms relative to conventional antipsychotics (table). Amisulpride was better than conventional antipsychotics but was not different from placebo (which was compared with low dose amisulpride, 50–300 mg/d) for use of antiparkinsonian drugs (table). In acutely ill patients, fewer patients treated with amisulpride than with conventional drugs dropped out (table). In patients with predominantly persistent negative symptoms, fewer patients in the amisulpride group than in the placebo group dropped out; amisulpride and conventional antipsychotics did not differ for dropouts (table).