Celecoxib treatment in an early stage of schizophrenia: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of celecoxib augmentation of amisulpride treatment.

Recent trials support the hypothesis of the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The overall therapeutic benefit of anti-inflammatory medication, in particular cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors in schizophrenia, is still controversial. There are suggestions that therapy with COX-2 inhibitors may influence the early stages of the disease. Taking these findings into account, we conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of celecoxib augmentation to amisulpride treatment in patients with a first manifestation of schizophrenia. Forty-nine patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were randomly assigned. They were treated either with amisulpride (200-1000 mg) plus celecoxib (400 mg) or amisulpride (200-1000 mg) plus placebo. Inclusion criterion was the diagnosis of schizophrenia during the past two years according to DSM-IV. The trial lasted six weeks. At weekly intervals an assessment of the psychopathology was performed using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and the Global Clinical Impression Scale (CGI). A significantly better outcome was observed in the patient group treated with amisulpride plus celecoxib compared to the group with amisulpride plus placebo (PANSS negative: p=0.03; PANSS global; p=0.05 and PANSS total: p=0.02). In addition, ratings by the CGI scale during therapy with amisulpride and celecoxib showed a significantly better result (p< or =0.001). A significantly superior therapeutic effect could be observed in the celecoxib group compared to placebo in the treatment of early stage schizophrenia. This is the first time an improvement in patients' negative symptoms has been demonstrated with celecoxib. In future, further trials are needed to investigate the effect of COX-2 inhibitors on prodromal and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.