Abstract
Rationale
Only one controlled trial is known that employed aripiprazole for patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). This 8-week trial found significant changes on most scales of the symptom checklist (SCL-90-R), Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS), Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HARS), and on all scales of the state–trait anger expression inventory (STAXI).
Objectives, materials, and methods
To assess the long-term effectiveness of aripiprazole with multifaceted borderline symptomology, this 18-month follow-up observation with biannual testing was carried out with the same patients from the previous trial (treated with 15-mg aripiprazole daily, n = 26, 21 female and 5 male patients; previous placebo group, n = 26, 22 female and 4 male patients).
Results
According to the intent-to-treat principle, significant changes on all scales of the SCL-90-R, HDRS, HARS, and STAXI were observed in the aripiprazole-treated subjects after 18 months.
Conclusion
Aripiprazole appears to be an effective and relatively safe agent in the long-term treatment of patients with BPD.
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Acknowledgment
We are grateful to Ann Marie Ackermann, JD, for translating and editing this article. The study was not funded.
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Nickel, M.K., Loew, T.H. & Gil, F.P. Aripiprazole in treatment of borderline patients, part II: an 18-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology 191, 1023–1026 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-007-0740-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-007-0740-0