Compared the im preparation of molindone with im trifluoperazine in maximum doses of 100 mg and 16 mg each day, respectively, in 20 chronic schizophrenic inpatients (mean age 41 yrs) in acute exacerbation. Effects of the 2 injectable drugs were evaluated at baseline, and at the end of 1 wk of medication, using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impressions, Nurses' Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation, and independent global ratings. Evaluation of the pooled global ratings of improvement and analysis of covariance of the psychometric measurements showed that molindone injectable displayed clinical efficacy equal to the im preparation of the reference compound, trifluoperazine. In the doses given, molindone showed a trend toward exhibiting greater incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms and akathesia, while trifluoperazine induced more drowsiness. Both im drugs were very well tolerated with respect to local tissue reaction.
