Aripiprazole or Risperidone for Tourette’s Disorder in Children and Adolescents? Efficacy and Impact on Weight Comparative study of therapeutic efficacy and body mass index of risperidone and Aripiprazole in children and adolescents with Tourette’s syndrome

Abstract

Introduction: Due to the high prevalence of Tourette’s disorder among children and adolescents and its negative consequences, an appropriate and effective medical treatment with minimal complications is necessary. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the effects of Aripiprazole and Risperidone on Tourette’s disorders in both children and adolescents. Method: The statistical population of this clinical trial was children and adolescents aged from seven to eighteen years old. They were diagnosed with the Tourette’s disorders based on the DSM-V criteria by the clinical interview of a child and adolescent psychiatrist in the child Psychiatry clinic of Ibn-e-Sina's Psychiatric Hospital (Mashhad-Iran) in 2018. A total of forty participants were selected by the convenience sampling method, and they were randomly divided into two groups treated by medicines, named as Risperidone or Aripiprazole for two months. Then, the demographic information questionnaire was completed. The Y-GTSS Scale was completed. Clinical Effect Rating Scale (CGI-Tics Scale) was completed. Calculation of body mass index and medical side effects complications were completed. The evaluation was carried out both at the beginning and on second, fourth and eighth weeks, and the results were compared. The data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 14) through using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and variance analysis. Results: The two groups were homogeneous for demographic variables. There was no significant difference in BMI between the two groups. Despite the positive effect of both medicines, no significant difference was observed among the general scores of such disorders, the overall score of severity, Tourette’s recovery, and BMI of these two groups at the intervals and at the end of treatments. (p <0.05). Due to the low number of complications reported, statistical comparisons of the medical side effects were not done for us Conclusion: According to the results, it seems that the two medicines, Aripiprazole and Risperidone, were effective in improving the symptoms of Tourette’s disorders and its overall severity. However, there was no significant statistical differences between them. In terms of the medical side effects, the statistical comparison between the two medicines was not possible due to the small number of complications. Keywords: tic, Tourette’s syndrome, Aripiprazole, Risperidone