Efficacy and Tolerability of Quetiapine in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder: A Pilot Study.

Objective: Second-generation antipsychotics with a favorable tolerability profile have offered new treatment options for patients with borderline personality disorder. Sparse data are available on the use of quetiapine in treating this disorder. The aim of the present study is to investigate efficacy and tolerability of quetiapine in a group of patients with borderline personality disorder.

Method: Fourteen consecutive outpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of borderline personality disorder were treated for 12 weeks with open-label quetiapine at the dose of 200-400 mg/day. Patients were assessed at baseline, week 4, and week 12 with the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) severity item, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), the Borderline Personality Disorder Severity Index (BPDSI), and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-version 11 (BIS-11). Adverse effects were evaluated using the Dosage Record and Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale. Statistical analysis was performed with the ANOVA for repeated measures. Significant p values were <=.05.

Results: Eleven patients completed the study. Three patients (21.4%) dropped out due to excessive somnolence or noncompliance. The mean ± SD dose of quetiapine was 309.09 ± 83.12 mg/day. A significant change was found for the scores of the following scales: CGI severity item, BPRS, HAM-A, SOFAS, BPDSI total score, BPDSI items “impulsivity” and “outbursts of anger,” and BIS-11. Common adverse effects were mild-to-moderate somnolence, dry mouth, and dizziness.

Conclusion: Initial data suggest that quetiapine is efficacious and well tolerated in treating patients who have borderline personality disorder, particularly when impulsiveness/aggressiveness-related symptoms are prominent. At the moment, no reliable comparison is available in the literature. Double-blind controlled trials are needed to verify these findings.