[Evaluation of clinical usefulness of decaldol (haloperidol decanoate) produced by WZF Polfa in Warsaw in long-term treatment of schizophrenia].

In the study the usefulness was assessed of haloperidol depot preparation in 50 mg ampoules produced by Warsaw Pharmaceutical Works POLFA in the treatment of schizophrenia. The study group comprised 30 patients, 12 females and 18 males, aged 18-70 years. Before haloperidol administration all other drugs were withdrawn. Haloperidol depot was injected intramuscularly after 7-10 days of oral administration of haloperidol. The injections were done at 3-week intervals during 26 weeks. The mean interval between the injections was 17.8 days, and the mean dose was 77.0 mg. The effectiveness of the drug was assessed using Overall scale (BPRS) measuring the intensity of 18 psychotic symptoms in the following weeks of the trial: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 13, 17, 20, 23 and 26. The depot haloperidol preparation (Decaldol) was studied assessing its effects on productive and defect symptoms and depression. The strongest effect was exerted on productive symptoms, less pronounced effect was on psychotic defects, and lowest on depression symptoms. Improvement of the psychosis was noted in 20 cases, deterioration in 8 and no change was observed in two patients. The present trial period was not completed by 19 patients, 6 due to psychotic deterioration, 5 patients had intense extrapyramidal adverse effects and in 2 cases worsening of mental condition was associated with adverse effects. In this subgroup of 19 patients 9 were improved, 8 were worse, and 2 had no change in relation to initial status. In the remaining 11 cases who completed the study only full of considerable improvement was found.