Abstract
Objective:
Aripiprazole is the prototype of a third generation of antipsychotics; the so-called dopamineserotonin system stabilisers and because of its different receptor profile, it is used as an alternative to other antipsychotics. The objective of this paper was to review the published papers about aripiprazole use in children and adolescents.
Method:
A computarized literature search was conducted using PubMed, Science Direct, Turkish Medline, Turk Medline and Turkish Psychiatry Index databases to retrieve studies about the usage, effectiveness and the side effects of aripiprazole in children and adolescents and 51 articles concerning its usage were found. 19 studies were included in this review after excluding the case reports and reports about intoxication with aripiprazole.
Results:
Aripiprazole was found to be effective in the treatment of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder, tic disorder and in the treatment of maladaptive behaviors like agression, irritability and self-mutilation in pervasive developmental disorders. Aripiprazole was also effective in adolescents with schizophrenia. The most common side effects with aripiprazole use in children and adolescents was detected as akathisia and gastrointestinal irritability. Different results had been reported about weight gain with its usage, the most important determining factor for weight gain was reported as age. Aripiprazole did not make significant changes in prolactin levels and electrocardiography results.
Discussion:
Aripiprazole was found to be effective and well tolerated for the treatment of bipolar disorder, tic disorders in children and adolescents, but prospective, double-blind placebo controlled studies are needed.
Keywords: child, adolescent, aripiprazole.
