The Relationship between the Second-Generation Antipsychotics Efficacy and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Body Constitutions in Patients with Schizophrenia

Background: Schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment; Second-generation Antipsychotics (SGAs) have become the most prescribed medication for schizophrenia patients. The efficacy of various SGAs treatment may differ in schizophrenia patients with various traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) body constitution (BC) types. Method: This study applied a longitudinal quantitative research design, where a total of 66 participants were recruited. The Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) score were used to evaluate patients’ psychopathology status in hospitalization, and body constitution questionnaires were conducted by face-to-face interviews in the 1st, 3rd, and 6th week of hospitalization. Results: More than 60% of schizophrenia patients who were treated with SGAs were classified to have unbalanced BC types including Yin-Xu, Yang-Xu and Stasis. Generalized estimating equation analysis revealed significant time effects in CGI and PANSS score improvements in both unbalanced and gentleness (balance) BC types, but no significant changes in the group and group-time interaction in the CGI and PANSS scores in different BC type groups. Conclusions: Schizophrenia patients under SGAs treatment had a higher proportion of unbalanced BC types which may lead to poorer physical or mental statuses, such as overweight problems. Health care providers could apply interventions according to patients’ BC types for disease prevention.