An open trial comparing haloperidol with olanzapine for the treatment of delirium in palliative and hospice center cancer patients

This study compared the efficacy between haloperidol and olanzapine to treat the delirious syndromes in the palliative and hospice center cancer patients. Patients those received hospice and palliative care, with an advanced cancer, and met the DSM-IV criteria for delirium were recruited. They were administered the DRS-c and CGI-S at the time point of T₀,T₁,T₂,T₃ during 1 week. 16 patients (M:F=9:7; mean age ± SD=61.13 ± 16.5) in olanzapine group and 14 patients (M:F=4:10; mean age ± SD=68 ± 12.14) in haloperidol group were recruited. In both groups there was significant difference in scores of DRS-c and CGI-S across time periods (haloperidol group: DRS-c: at T₁, p=0.008; at T₂, p=0.044; at T₃, p=0.043 and CGI-S: at T₁, p=0.012; olanzapine group: DRS-c: at T₃, p=0.042 and CGI-S: at T₁, p=0.040). However, comparison of the scores of DRS-c and CGI-S across time periods between two groups showed no statistical difference. The results showed that the delirium improved in both groups but no statistic difference comparing both groups. Therefore, olanzapine might be a useful alternative to haloperidol in the treatment of delirium in advanced cancer patients.