Due to its unique pharmacodynamic properties of
dopamine partial agonist activity, and its association with few and mild side effects,
aripiprazole is a candidate atypical
antipsychotic for patients with
tic disorders. This open-label study compared the efficacy and tolerability of
aripiprazole with
haloperidol, a typical
antipsychotic widely used to treat patients with
tic disorders. Forty-eight children and adolescents with
tic disorders were recruited from the outpatient clinic at South Korea and treated with
aripiprazole (initial dose, 5.0 mg/d; maximum dose 20 mg/d) or
haloperidol (initial dose, 0.75 mg/d; maximum dose, 4.5 mg/d) for 8 weeks. Treatment efficacy was measured using the yale global
tic severity scale (YGTSS), and tolerability was measured using the extrapyramidal symptom rating scale (ESRS) and an adverse effects checklist. Total
tic scores as measured by the YGTSS decreased over time in both groups (p < 0.001) without any significant differences between groups. ESRS scores were significantly higher in the
haloperidol group during the 4 weeks after commencement of medication (p < 0.05). These results indicate that
aripiprazole may be a promising
drug in the treatment of children and adolescents with
tic disorders. Further controlled studies are needed to determine the efficacy and tolerability of
aripiprazole in these patients.