Aripiprazole oral solution versus other antipsychotics in schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder: efficacy, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic considerations. A systematic review

Abstract

This systematic review analyzed the efficacy and tolerability of oral aripiprazole solution compared to other antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder. A search was conducted in databases such as PubMed and SciELO, including randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews. The results show that aripiprazole has comparable efficacy to atypical antipsychotics such as risperidone and ziprasidone in schizophrenia, and similar efficacy to haloperidol in maintaining response, although olanzapine may offer a slight advantage in overall improvement. In bipolar I disorder, it demonstrated efficacy in manic episodes and in preventing relapses, especially manic ones. Its tolerability profile is favorable, with less weight gain and fewer metabolic disturbances than olanzapine, a low incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms, and no significant hyperprolactinemia. The oral solution is bioequivalent to the tablets, facilitating administration. However, the low quality of several studies limits the strength of the evidence, so more robust and patient-centered future research is needed.