The
therapeutic effects, safety and side-effects of
clocapramine and
sulpiride were evaluated in 52 hospitalized chronic schizophrenic patients using a single-blind method during an 8-week trial period. While the final global improvement rating showed
clocapramine to be superior to
sulpiride, the differences were not statistically significant. The time course of the total psychiatric rating scales (PRS) showed a progressive decline during treatment for both drugs, and at the end of treatment
clocapramine proved significantly lower in total PRS than did
sulpiride. In the improvement of psychotic symptoms,
clocapramine seemed to be superior to
sulpiride with respect to motor retardation, delusion,
hallucination or disturbance of self-consciousness, social isolation or withdrawal, and recreation or work. Side-effects appeared more frequently with
clocapramine than with
sulpiride, but abnormal laboratory-test results appeared less in
clocapramine-treated patients than in
sulpiride-treated ones. Neither side-effects nor abnormal laboratory-test results induced by the two drugs were severe enough to terminate administration.
Clocapramine is concluded to have a more favourable effect on negative symptoms, as well as on some positive symptoms of chronic
schizophrenia, than
sulpiride.