Treatment of inhalant-induced psychotic disorder with carbamazepine versus haloperidol.

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy and adverse effects of carbamazepine and haloperidol were compared in the treatment of inhalant-induced psychotic disorder.

METHODS: Forty male patients admitted to an acute psychiatric unit for treatment of inhalant dependence and inhalant-induced organic mental disorder, as diagnosed by DSM-III-R, were randomly assigned to receive five weeks of treatment with carbamazepine or haloperidol in identical-appearing capsules. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the DiMascio Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale were administered weekly.

RESULTS: Both treatment groups improved significantly over time. A reduction of symptom severity of 48.3 percent in the carbamazepine group and 52.7 percent in the haloperidol group was observed. Approximately half the patients in each group were considered treatment responders at the end of the study. Adverse effects were significantly more common and more severe in the haloperidol group.

CONCLUSIONS: Carbamazepine appears to have comparable efficacy but fewer adverse effects than haloperidol for the treatment of inhalant-induced psychotic disorder.