E.1 Medical condition or disease under investigation |
E.1.1 | Medical condition(s) being investigated |
Patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia , schizophreniform disorder or schizoaffective disorder according to DSM-IV TR criteria; experiencing an acute episode of their illness |
Schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder or schizophrenieform disorder |
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E.1.1.1 | Medical condition in easily understood language |
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E.1.1.2 | Therapeutic area | Psychiatry and Psychology [F] - Mental Disorders [F03] |
MedDRA Classification |
E.1.3 | Condition being studied is a rare disease | No |
E.2 Objective of the trial |
E.2.1 | Main objective of the trial |
The primary objective of the current trial is to demonstrate the superior effectiveness of an early switch of antipsychotic treatment in patients poorly responding to two weeks of randomized treatment with either olanzapine or amisulpride. The primary endpoint is the number of patients in remission after another six weeks of treatment after either continuing on the initially started antipsychotic or having been switched to the alternative study drug. |
NA |
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E.2.2 | Secondary objectives of the trial |
Change in psychopathology (PANSS total change), overall costs of treatment, treatment safety, subjective well-being under neuroleptic treatment, attitude toward antipsychotic treatment, pharmacogenetics |
NA |
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E.2.3 | Trial contains a sub-study | No |
E.2.3.1 | Full title, date and version of each sub-study and their related objectives |
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E.3 | Principal inclusion criteria |
1. Male or female inpatients, 18 to 65 years of age. 2. Participants must have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, or schizophreniform disorder or schizoaffective disorder as defined in DSM-IV TR, verified by the M.I.N.I. interview at screening. 3. At study entry a Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS, Kay et al. 1987) total score of at least 75 AND a score of ≥ 4 on any two of the items of the positive component factors (i.e. delusions, unusual thought content, hallucinatory behaviour, suspiciousness, grandiosity, lack of judgement and insight) AND at least a rating of "4 = moderately ill" according to the Clinical Global Impression Scale (Guy 1976) to assure that participants are symptomatic. 4. Increase in the level of care due to current acute episode (i.e. outpatient care to inpatient or day-clinic care) and this increase in care took place no longer than 3 working days before study entry 5. Able to give informed consent. 6. The criterion for the second randomisation is less than 25% Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS, Kay et al. 1987) total score reduction from baseline. |
NA |
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E.4 | Principal exclusion criteria |
1. Contraindications for amisulpride or olanzapine (allergies, pregnancy etc). 2. Known treatment resistance to study drugs as defined by the American/German/World Federation of Biological Psychiatry schizophrenia practice guidelines (Falkai et al. 2005, Lehman et al. 2004, Gaebel et al. 2006): insufficient response despite a trial of at least 4 to 6 weeks duration with sufficient doses (olan-zapine 15-20mg/day, amisulpride 600-800 mg/day), and despite appropriate compliance. 3. Continuous treatment with study drugs in sufficient doses (olanzapine 15-20mg, amisulpride 600-800mg) and with adequate compliance in the 2 weeks before study entry 4. Increase in the level of care (outpatient care to inpatient or day-clinic care) due to social reasons or side effect burden or >3 working days prior to study entry for any reason 5. Current acute episode remained on a clinically unchanged level for 4 weeks prior to study entry despite adequate treatment and sufficient compliance with the treatment 6. Received depot antipsychotic within 1 dose interval before inclusion, in the case of risperidone Consta last injection within 5 weeks (long half life of depots which would interact with study drugs, risperidone consta has a special metabolism). 7. Actively suicidal (double-blind treatment unethical). 8. Pregnancy (antipsychotic drug treatment very problematic). 9. Patients with an DSM-IV TR diagnosis of a substance dependence (abuse is allowed to enhance gener-alisability) other than nicotine or caffeine within 3 months prior to baseline (these substances can interact with study drugs). 10. Serious medical illnesses (double-blind psychotropic medication unethical) |
NA |
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E.5 End points |
E.5.1 | Primary end point(s) |
Our primary outcome will be the number of participants in remission according to the criteria of the remission in schizophrenia work group (RSWG; Andreasen et al. 2005). According to these criteria remission means that 8 specific symptoms of schizophrenia as measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (Kay et al. 1987) are at the most only mildly present so that they do not interfere with daily life functioning. We will compare the number of patients in remission in the "swicht group" (i.e. patients poorly responded and were randomiserd to the alternative treatment after 2 weeks of initial treatment) and in the "maintenance group" (i.e. patients poorly responded and were randomized to stay with their initially started antipsychotic treatment having received 2 weeks of this drug) after the total treatment duration of 8 weeks. |
NA |
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E.5.1.1 | Timepoint(s) of evaluation of this end point |
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E.5.2 | Secondary end point(s) |
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E.5.2.1 | Timepoint(s) of evaluation of this end point |
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E.6 and E.7 Scope of the trial |
E.6 | Scope of the trial |
E.6.1 | Diagnosis | No |
E.6.2 | Prophylaxis | No |
E.6.3 | Therapy | Yes |
E.6.4 | Safety | No |
E.6.5 | Efficacy | Yes |
E.6.6 | Pharmacokinetic | No |
E.6.7 | Pharmacodynamic | No |
E.6.8 | Bioequivalence | No |
E.6.9 | Dose response | No |
E.6.10 | Pharmacogenetic | No |
E.6.11 | Pharmacogenomic | No |
E.6.12 | Pharmacoeconomic | No |
E.6.13 | Others | No |
E.6.13.1 | Other scope of the trial description |
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E.7 | Trial type and phase |
E.7.1 | Human pharmacology (Phase I) | No |
E.7.1.1 | First administration to humans | No |
E.7.1.2 | Bioequivalence study | No |
E.7.1.3 | Other | No |
E.7.1.3.1 | Other trial type description | |
E.7.2 | Therapeutic exploratory (Phase II) | No |
E.7.3 | Therapeutic confirmatory (Phase III) | No |
E.7.4 | Therapeutic use (Phase IV) | Yes |
E.8 Design of the trial |
E.8.1 | Controlled | Yes |
E.8.1.1 | Randomised | Yes |
E.8.1.2 | Open | No |
E.8.1.3 | Single blind | No |
E.8.1.4 | Double blind | Yes |
E.8.1.5 | Parallel group | Yes |
E.8.1.6 | Cross over | No |
E.8.1.7 | Other | No |
E.8.2 | Comparator of controlled trial |
E.8.2.1 | Other medicinal product(s) | Yes |
E.8.2.2 | Placebo | No |
E.8.2.3 | Other | No |
E.8.2.4 | Number of treatment arms in the trial | 2 |
E.8.3 |
The trial involves single site in the Member State concerned
| No |
E.8.4 | The trial involves multiple sites in the Member State concerned | Yes |
E.8.4.1 | Number of sites anticipated in Member State concerned | 15 |
E.8.5 | The trial involves multiple Member States | Yes |
E.8.5.1 | Number of sites anticipated in the EEA | 17 |
E.8.6 Trial involving sites outside the EEA |
E.8.6.1 | Trial being conducted both within and outside the EEA | No |
E.8.6.2 | Trial being conducted completely outside of the EEA | No |
E.8.7 | Trial has a data monitoring committee | Yes |
E.8.8 |
Definition of the end of the trial and justification where it is not the last
visit of the last subject undergoing the trial
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The end of the trial is the last visit of the last subject undergoing the trial |
NA |
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E.8.9 Initial estimate of the duration of the trial |
E.8.9.1 | In the Member State concerned years | 2 |
E.8.9.1 | In the Member State concerned months | 0 |
E.8.9.1 | In the Member State concerned days | 0 |
E.8.9.2 | In all countries concerned by the trial years | 2 |
E.8.9.2 | In all countries concerned by the trial months | 0 |
E.8.9.2 | In all countries concerned by the trial days | 0 |