Asian outpatients with schizophrenia: a double-blind randomized comparison of quality of life and clinical outcomes for patients treated with olanzapine or haloperidol.

To examine the quality of life (QoL) and clinical outcomes for Asian schizophrenic outpatients treated with olanzapine or haloperidol. Patients were randomized to 24-weeks' treatment with either olanzapine (n = 144) or haloperidol (n = 132) in a double-blind, prospective, multi-country study. The QLS and WHO-BREF were assessed for QoL; the PANSS, BPRS and CGI scales for clinical status; the BAS, AIMS and SAS scales for physical dysfunction. Regardless of antipsychotic, QoL improved significantly at 8 weeks and maintained this improvement at 24 weeks. Compared with haloperidol, olanzapine treatment was associated with significantly better QoL in the WHO-BREF physical and social relationship domains, better improvements in extrapyramidal symptoms in BAS and SAS scores, as well as lower incidence of adverse events. Patients taking haloperidol were more likely to be co-prescribed anticholinergics. The comparatively superior side-effect profile and tolerability of olanzapine may have contributed to enhance domain-specific QoL for these Asian outpatients.