Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (unclear allocation concealment, high loss to follow-up), imprecise results (few studies for comparison) and indirectness (short follow-up time).
A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 6 studies with a total of 1835 subjects. Six weeks was a common trial length and the duration varied from 16 days (one study) to 52 weeks (one study). Asenapine resulted in a clinically important change in global state (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.97; 1 RCT, n = 336) and mental state (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.86; 1 RCT, n = 336) at short-term (up to 12 weeks). People receiving asenapine demonstrated significant reductions in negative symptoms (MD -1.10, 95% CI -2.29 to 0.09; 1 RCT, n = 336) at short-term. Individuals receiving asenapine demonstrated significantly fewer incidents of serious adverse effects (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.63; 1 RCT, n = 386) at medium-term (13 to 26 weeks). There was no clear difference in people discontinuing the study for any reason between asenapine and placebo at short-term (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.04, 5 RCTs, n = 1046). No trial reported data for extrapyramidal symptoms or costs.
Date of latest search:
Primary/Secondary Keywords