Patients' and clinicians' attitude towards long-acting depot antipsychotics in subjects with a first episode of psychosis

Oral versus long-acting injectable antipsychotic in first episode schizophrenia: A 12 weeks interventional study

Background

There is underutilization of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics for first-episode schizophrenia (FES) despite having convenient dosing and treatment retention. LAIs are predominantly used for patients with poor compliance, chronic course, and multiple relapses.

Materials and Methods

Seventy-two treatment naïve patients with the first episode of Schizophrenia (DSM-5) were assessed for baseline severity of psychopathology using the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) and quality of life (QOL) using the WHOQOL-BREF scale. Patients were randomized to receive either oral haloperidol or LAI haloperidol for a period of 12 weeks.

Results

Both the groups had a significant reduction in PANSS scores and improvement in QoL over 12 weeks period (P = 0.0001). The LAI group showed greater adherence and significantly better quality of life than the oral group (P = 0.023). The mean numbers of side effects were less in the LAI group at week 2 as compared to the oral group.

Conclusion

LAI haloperidol is similar to oral haloperidol in patients with FES with respect to treatment response and offers benefits in form of a lesser number of side effects during early treatment, overall better adherence rates, and better QOL.

Pharmacist Administration of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics to Community-Dwelling Patients: A Scoping Review

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIAs) have demonstrated positive outcomes for people with serious mental illnesses. They are underused, and access to LAIAs can be challenging. Pharmacies could serve as suitable environments for LAIA injection by pharmacists. To map and characterize the literature regarding the administration of LAIAs by pharmacists, a scoping review was conducted. Electronic-database searches (e.g., PsycINFO, Ovid Medline, Scopus, and Embase) and others including ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global and Google, were conducted. Citation lists and cited-reference searches were completed. Zotero was used as the reference-management database. Covidence was used for overall review management. Two authors independently screened articles and performed full-text abstractions. From all sources, 292 studies were imported, and 124 duplicates were removed. After screening, 13 studies were included for abstraction. Most articles were published in the US since 2010. Seven studies used database and survey methods, with adherence and patient satisfaction as the main patient-outcomes assessed. Reporting of pharmacists' and patients' perspectives surrounding LAIA administration was minimal and largely anecdotal. Financial analyses for services were also limited. The published literature surrounding pharmacist administration of LAIAs is limited, providing little-to-no guidance for the development and implementation of this service by others.

Comparison of clinical outcomes in patients with schizophrenia following different long-acting injectable event-driven initiation strategies

This retrospective study evaluated the benefit of following different long-acting injectable (LAI) initiation strategies based on the timing of behavioral and clinical events among Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia. Adults with schizophrenia initiating oral antipsychotics (OAPs) after 12 months without antipsychotic use or schizophrenia-related inpatient/emergency room (ER) visits (index date) were identified. Patients were categorized into four event-driven LAI initiation strategy cohorts based on observed sequences of behavioral (i.e., OAP adherence) and clinical (i.e., schizophrenia-related inpatient/ER visits) events between index and LAI initiation or censoring-strategy #1: adherent to OAPs without schizophrenia-related inpatient/ER visits; strategy #2: nonadherent to OAPs without schizophrenia-related inpatient/ER visits; strategy #3: one schizophrenia-related inpatient/ER visit; strategy #4: ≥2 schizophrenia-related inpatient/ER visits. Clinical outcomes (i.e., all-cause inpatient/ER visits) were evaluated between OAP initiation and end of follow-up. Comparisons between LAI initiation strategy cohorts were conducted using a dynamic marginal structural model adjusting for baseline characteristics and time-varying confounders. Among 13,444 eligible patients, 13.1%, 53.6%, 15.7%, and 17.6% were following strategies #1-4, respectively; of these, 21.9%, 4.3%, 9.2%, and 6.5% started an LAI (the remaining were censored). Strategy #1 was associated with a greater clinical benefit, with 43%, 69%, and 80% fewer inpatient days (all p < 0.05); and 57%, 59%, and 79% fewer ER visits (all p < 0.01) vs strategies #2-4, respectively; the clinical benefit was also observed for strategy #2 vs #3-4. Therefore, starting an LAI prior to OAP nonadherence or occurrence of a schizophrenia-related inpatient/ER visit was associated with fewer all-cause inpatient days of inpatient stay and ER visits.

Early versus late administration of long-acting injectable antipsychotic agents among patients with newly diagnosed schizophrenia: an analysis of a commercial claims database

This study was designed to assess healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs in patients with newly diagnosed schizophrenia based on timing and context of long-acting injectable antipsychotic agent (LAI) initiation. Using claims data, patients (aged 18-40 years) with first schizophrenia diagnosis January 2013-September 2019 (index date), no LAI or oral antipsychotic agent claims during 12-month preindex period, and continuous benefit enrollment from 12 months before index date to 12 months after first LAI administration were identified. Patients were grouped based on timing [early (≤1 year after index date) vs. late] and circumstances [reactive (after schizophrenia-related event) vs. proactive] of LAI initiation. Of 1290 patients with at least one LAI claim, 306 met criteria for early (n = 204; reactive, n = 107; proactive, n = 97) and late (n = 102; n = 75; n = 27) initiation. HCRU and costs were numerically lower in early versus late groups, and significantly lower for proactive initiation in both groups. Comparing worst-case (late-reactive) and best-case (early-proactive) scenarios, the average annual cost difference was $7195.13 (P = 0.0233), with major drivers being emergency department ($171.28; P < 0.05) and other outpatient ($2845.73; P < 0.00001) visits. In addition to the clinical advantages previously described in the literature, the proactive use of LAIs in early-phase schizophrenia is associated with lower healthcare costs.

Antipsychotic utilization, healthcare resource use and costs, and quality of care among fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with schizophrenia in the United States

BACKGROUND

No research to date has examined antipsychotic (AP) use, healthcare resource use (HRU), costs, and quality of care among those with schizophrenia in the Medicare program despite it serving as the primary payer for half of individuals with schizophrenia in the US.

OBJECTIVES

To provide national estimates and assess regional variation in AP treatment utilization, HRU, costs, and quality measures among Medicare beneficiaries with schizophrenia.

METHODS

Cross-sectional descriptive analysis of 100% Medicare claims data from 2019. The sample included all adult Medicare beneficiaries with continuous fee-for-service coverage and ≥1 inpatient and/or ≥2 outpatient claims with a diagnosis for schizophrenia in 2019. Summary statistics on AP use; HRU and cost; and quality measures were reported at the national, state, and county levels. Regional variation was measured using the coefficient of variation (CoV).

RESULTS

We identified 314,888 beneficiaries with schizophrenia. About 91% used any AP; 20% used any long-acting injectable antipsychotic (LAI); and 14% used atypical LAIs. About 28% of beneficiaries had ≥1 hospitalization and 47% had ≥1 emergency room (ER) visits, the vast majority of which were related to mental health (MH). Total annual all-cause, MH, and schizophrenia-related costs were $23,662, $15,000 and $12,109, respectively. Among those with hospitalizations, 18.4% and 27.3% had readmission within 7 and 30 days and 56% and 67% had a physician visit and AP fill within 30 days post-discharge, respectively. Overall, 81% of beneficiaries were deemed adherent to their AP medications. Larger interstate variations were observed in LAI use than AP use (CoV: 0.21 vs 0.02). County-level variations were larger than state-level variations for all measures.

CONCLUSIONS

In this first study examining a national sample of Medicare beneficiaries with schizophrenia, we found low utilization rates of LAIs and high levels of hospital admissions/readmissions and ER visits. State and county-level variations were also found in these measures.

The Effect of Longer Dosing Intervals for Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics on Outcomes in Schizophrenia

Medication nonadherence in schizophrenia can have serious implications including relapses and hospitalization. Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics require fewer administrations, while ensuring sustained medication coverage. In this review, we summarize the expected real-world benefits of longer dosing intervals in the management of schizophrenia. LAIs are associated with improved clinical outcomes of less frequent relapses and reduced functional impairment, encouraging patients to regain control of their lives. Aripiprazole lauroxil and paliperidone palmitate three-monthly (PP3M) LAIs have longer dosing intervals of 2-3 months and provide improved outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. Paliperidone palmitate six-monthly (PP6M) LAI provides the longest dosing interval, twice-yearly dosing, among existing LAIs. Decreasing the frequency of LAI administrations has the potential to reduce occurrence of serious outcomes associated with poor medication adherence. By eliminating the need for daily oral antipsychotic dosing, LAIs could increase the likelihood of patient acceptance, decrease stigma, and promote self-esteem. Longer intervals of medication coverage may be desirable for patients with higher risk of relapse including adults with recent-onset schizophrenia, those living in circumstances that may deprive them of regular access (eg, homeless), those that are in transitions between care settings or to reduce interpersonal contact during public health emergencies (eg, COVID-19 pandemic).

The Safety and Efficacy of Psychosocial Adherence Interventions in Young People with Early Psychosis: A Systematic Review

Background: The role of antipsychotic medication in supporting young people in their recovery from early psychosis is complex and controversial. It is common for young people, often given antipsychotic medication for the first time, to express a choice to stop treatment, potentially increasing the risk of relapse and admission to hospital. Our systematic review aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of psychosocial interventions to enhance antipsychotic medication adherence in young people with early psychosis. Methods: We reviewed studies using any experimental design of psychosocial interventions specifically focused on enhancing adherence with antipsychotic medication in young people with early psychosis. Cochrane CENTRAL Register, Medline, Embase, PsychINFO and CINAHL were searched on 19 November 2021 without time restriction. Studies were assessed for quality using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Results: Our initial search identified 3469 documents. Following title, abstract and full-text screening, we included three published studies and one unpublished experimental study that met our inclusion criteria. Outcome data were available for three studies that tested adherence–coping–education, adherence therapy, and a health dialogue intervention, all having a positive effect on medication adherence. None of the trials reported data on the safety of the experimental interventions. Conclusion: There is a paucity of evidence from high-quality randomized controlled trials that establish the safety and effectiveness of any type of psychosocial intervention to enhance medication adherence in young people with early psychosis. Further high-quality trials are warranted. This review was registered on the Open Science Framework prior to undertaking out initial searches.

Olanzapine long-acting injection, discontinuation rates and reasons for discontinuation: 10 years' experience at a UK high-secure hospital

Background

Olanzapine pamoate has been shown to be an effective second-generation long-acting injection. Its popularity has possibly been adversely affected by the rare incidence of post-injection syndrome (PIS) and the associated requirement to monitor for 3 h after each injection.

Objective

This study aimed to collect and present data on the use of olanzapine long-acting injection (OLAI) over a 10-year period in a high-security forensic hospital in South East England.

Design

This was a non-interventional retrospective study collecting information from anonymised electronic patient and prescription records. As per hospital Trust guidelines, patient consent to access of hospital records was presumed unless explicitly withdrawn.

Method

All patients prescribed OLAI between the years 2009 and 2019 were identified. Data collected included date that OLAI was started, stopped, dose range, side effects and concomitant medication.

Results

Of 88 patients who were started OLAI, 45 (51%) continued at month 24. At 60 months, 22 of 70 (31%) patients for whom data were available continued with OLAI. Over 60% of continuers were on higher than recommended doses. Of almost 5000 injections administered, there was 1 episode of PIS.

Conclusion

OLAI is an effective treatment for schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, especially when used in patients have been able to tolerate the drug and were stabilised on it for 24 months. In over half the patients who continued OLAI, the doses were higher than that recommended by the manufacturer. The incidence of PIS in this study was very low in comparison with other studies.

Registration code

2049.

Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics (LAIs) Prescribing Trends during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romania

Long acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are considered the ideal treatment for schizophrenia, especially for young patients with high rates of non-adherence. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, it has been reported that the administration of LAIs decreased in some areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the initiation of LAIs. This is a retrospective mirror- image study covering a total period of 24 months: 12 months before and 12 months after the declaration of COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020. During the study period, out of 218 patients admitted with schizophrenia, only 15 (1.3%) received LAIs at discharge. There was a 48.3% reduction in LAIs initiation compared to the pre-pandemic period (29 LAIs initiations in 2019 from 224 admissions). Despite the 27% reduction in the total number of admissions (1500 in 2019 vs. 1100 in 2020), the number of admissions with schizophrenia remained almost the same (224 in 2019 vs. 218 in 2020). COVID-19 pandemic brought an important challenge in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia, especially in the initiation of LAIs. This could have an important impact on the relapse rate in the next period.

Off-label long acting injectable antipsychotics in real-world clinical practice: a cross-sectional analysis of prescriptive patterns from the STAR Network DEPOT study

INTRODUCTION

Information on the off-label use of Long-Acting Injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in the real world is lacking. In this study, we aimed to identify the sociodemographic and clinical features of patients treated with on- vs off-label LAIs and predictors of off-label First- or Second-Generation Antipsychotic (FGA vs. SGA) LAI choice in everyday clinical practice.

METHOD

In a naturalistic national cohort of 449 patients who initiated LAI treatment in the STAR Network Depot Study, two groups were identified based on off- or on-label prescriptions. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to test several clinically relevant variables and identify those associated with the choice of FGA vs SGA prescription in the off-label group.

RESULTS

SGA LAIs were more commonly prescribed in everyday practice, without significant differences in their on- and off-label use. Approximately 1 in 4 patients received an off-label prescription. In the off-label group, the most frequent diagnoses were bipolar disorder (67.5%) or any personality disorder (23.7%). FGA vs SGA LAI choice was significantly associated with BPRS thought disorder (OR = 1.22, CI95% 1.04 to 1.43, p = 0.015) and hostility/suspiciousness (OR = 0.83, CI95% 0.71 to 0.97, p = 0.017) dimensions. The likelihood of receiving an SGA LAI grew steadily with the increase of the BPRS thought disturbance score. Conversely, a preference towards prescribing an FGA was observed with higher scores at the BPRS hostility/suspiciousness subscale.

CONCLUSION

Our study is the first to identify predictors of FGA vs SGA choice in patients treated with off-label LAI antipsychotics. Demographic characteristics, i.e. age, sex, and substance/alcohol use co-morbidities did not appear to influence the choice towards FGAs or SGAs. Despite a lack of evidence, clinicians tend to favour FGA over SGA LAIs in bipolar or personality disorder patients with relevant hostility. Further research is needed to evaluate treatment adherence and clinical effectiveness of these prescriptive patterns.

Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics in Inpatients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder in an Academic Psychiatric Hospital in Switzerland

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) offer many benefits to patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). They are used with very different frequencies due to questions of eligibility or patients and prescribers’ attitudes towards LAI use. We assessed the prescribing rates of LAIs in a large academic psychiatric hospital with a public service mandate in Switzerland and compared them with other countries and health care systems. To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate inpatient LAI use in Europe. Medical records of all patients diagnosed with SSD discharged from the Clinic of Adult Psychiatry of the University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich over a 12 month period from January to December 2019 were evaluated regarding the prescribed antipsychotics at the time of discharge. The rates of use of LAIs among all patients and among patients receiving LAI-eligible antipsychotic substances were assessed retrospectively. We assessed records of 885 patients with SSD. Among all cases, 13.9% received an LAI. Among patients who received antipsychotic medication that was eligible for LAI use (n = 434), 28.1% received an agent as an LAI. LAI use included paliperidone palmitate (69.9%), aripiprazole monohydrate (14.6%), risperidone (4.9%) and first-generation LAIs (9.8%). Compared to international frequencies of LAI administration, the prescription rate of LAIs in SSD patients was low. Further studies will evaluate patient- and prescriber-related reasons for this low rate.

Antipsychotic prescribing patterns in Australia: a retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

To examine real-world patterns of antipsychotic use in patients with schizophrenia Australia.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using the Australian Commonwealth Department of Human Services Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) 10% sample data. Included data were for patients aged 16-years or older who initiated treatment for the first time with a PBS-reimbursed antipsychotic medication for schizophrenia between July 2013 and September 2017. Patterns of treatment usage were summarised descriptively. Differences in prescribing patterns by age and prescribing year were reported. Treatment persistence was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods, with differences explored using log-rank tests. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

6,740 patients, representing 8,249 non-unique patients, received prescriptions for antipsychotic medications. Patients were aged 16 years to over 85 years (54.5% were < 55 years) and two-thirds of patients were male (61%). The majority of treatment episodes (62%, n = 5,139/8,249) were prescribed an atypical oral antipsychotic. Typical long-acting antipsychotic therapies (LATs) were prescribed 19% of the treatment episodes (n = 1,608/8,249. There was a small increase in prescribing of atypical LAT and typical LAT and a small decrease in atypical oral and clozapine prescribing over the study period. Treatment persistence was greatest in patients treated with clozapine, than in those treated with atypical LATs.

CONCLUSIONS

While the majority of patients receive atypical antipsychotic medications, one in five continue to use older typical LAT therapies. Patient age and time on therapy may be associated with choice of therapy. Persistence to atypical LAT therapy is better than for other treatment modalities in this real-world cohort.

Effect of long-acting injectable antipsychotics on hospitalizations and global functioning in schizophrenia: a naturalistic mirror-image study

BACKGROUND

Partial adherence to antipsychotics is the most common cause of relapses and rehospitalization in patients with schizophrenia (SZ), leading to higher health care costs and psychosocial disability. The use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics may improve therapeutic continuity and adherence to treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effectiveness of switching from oral antipsychotics (OAs) to long-acting antipsychotics.

METHODS

This 1-year mirror-image study evaluated the effect of switching from OAs to LAIs on the reduction of psychiatric hospitalizations and the improvement of global functioning in patients with schizophrenia. Differences in outcomes between second-generation (SGA) LAIs and first-generation (FGA) LAIs were also analyzed.

RESULTS

In all, 166 patients were included: 32.5% treated by FGA-LAIs and 67.5% by SGA-LAIs. There was an overall reduction of 71% in the average number of hospital admissions and an overall improvement of 29.3% in the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score between the previous 12 months and the 12 months following the switching to LAIs. Patients who switched to SGA-LAIs had no significant differences in hospitalization occurrences but a significant improvement in GAF scores when compared with patients who switched to FGA-LAIs.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that using LAIs could be the most adequate treatment choice for SZ patients with a high risk of relapse and low adherence rate. Patients with poorer social functioning may be ideal candidates for SGA-LAIs treatment. Our findings may be of particular interest from a clinical and health care management perspective.

Predictors of long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment discontinuation in outpatients with schizophrenia: relevance of the Drug Attitude Inventory-10

Given the importance of patients' subjective experience and attitudes in the management of severe mental illness, the present study evaluated their potential role as predictors of future continuation of long-acting injectable antipsychotic maintenance treatment (LAI-AMT) in clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia switching from an oral therapy. Retrospective data from 59 subjects receiving LAI-AMT for at least 6 months were collected. Patients who continued LAI treatment (n = 32) were compared to those who discontinued it (n = 27), assessing baseline socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, psychopathological features (Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale, Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale and Young Mania Rating Scale) and patient-reported experience of treatment through Drug Attitude Inventory 10-item (DAI-10) and Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptics short form. Binary logistic and Cox regression analyses explored the predictive role of the mentioned variables on treatment discontinuation. The Kaplan-Meier estimator compared dropout from LAI treatment in subsamples with different characteristics. Unemployment and lower baseline DAI-10 scores predicted LAI-AMT discontinuation. No major differences were detected in other socio-demographic, clinical or psychometric indexes. When switching from oral to LAI-AMT, the preliminary assessment of attitude towards drug might be clinically relevant, allowing the identification of patients at risk for treatment discontinuation.

The Impact of Once-Monthly Paliperidone Palmitate on Healthcare Utilization Among Patients With Schizophrenia Treated in an Integrated Healthcare System: A Retrospective Mirror-Image Study

INTRODUCTION

Previous evidence demonstrated that patients with schizophrenia consumed substantial healthcare resources in an integrated healthcare system. This study evaluated the impact of initiating once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP1M) on healthcare resource utilization (HRU) among patients with schizophrenia treated in a US integrated healthcare system.

METHODS

This retrospective study used electronic medical records from Atrium Health. Adults with at least two diagnoses of schizophrenia who received an initial PP1M dose between September 2009 and April 2019 (the corresponding date defined the index date) and at least one subsequent dose within 90 days were included. Additionally, patients were required to have received active care (at least one healthcare visit every 6 months) during 12-month pre- and post-index periods and at least one oral antipsychotic prescription during the 12-month pre-index period. Inpatient, emergency room (ER), and outpatient visits were compared over 12-month pre- versus post-index periods within the same cohort using McNemar's and Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Findings were reported for all patients and separately in patients with at least one schizophrenia relapse (schizophrenia-related inpatient or ER visit) during the 12-month pre-index period.

RESULTS

The study cohort included 210 patients (mean age 34.2 years, 69.5% male, 39.1% had Medicaid). From the 12-month pre- to post-index period, the proportion of patients with visits and mean number of visits reduced for all-cause inpatient (67.6% to 22.4%, 1.2 to 0.4), 30-day readmission (12.4% to 2.4%, 0.2 to 0.1), and ER (68.6% to 45.7%, 2.3 to 1.2) visits, whereas the mean number of outpatient visits increased (8.7 to 11.6) (all P < 0.05). Similar trends were observed for mental health- and schizophrenia-related HRU. The trends in HRU in patients with prior relapse were similar with a higher extent of reduction in inpatient and ER use compared to the overall cohort.

CONCLUSION

Initiation of PP1M was associated with reduced acute HRU in patients with schizophrenia, indicating potential clinical and economic benefits, especially in patients with prior relapse.

Guidance on the clinical understanding and use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in Schizophrenia: Hong Kong Consensus Statements

AIMS

There is increasing evidence showing the importance of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in the management of schizophrenia, especially in terms of improving patient medication compliance. A panel of experienced clinicians in Hong Kong mapped out a set of consensus statements with an aim to facilitate the understanding and use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics among local physicians.

METHODS

Eight discussion areas regarding long-acting injectable antipsychotics were selected by the chairman of the consensus group. A series of meetings were held for the panelists to discuss the published literature and their clinical experience, followed by the drafting of consensus statements. At the final meeting, each consensus statement was voted on anonymously by all members based on its practicability of recommendation in Hong Kong.

RESULTS

A total of 12 consensus statements on the rational use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics were established and accepted by the consensus group.

CONCLUSION

The consensus statements aim to provide practical guidance for Hong Kong physicians on the use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in schizophrenia patients. These statements may also serve as a reference for doctors in other parts of the Asia-Pacific region.

Controversies Surrounding the Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Medications for the Treatment of Patients with Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that requires continuous and effective long-term management to reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, and prevent relapse. Oral antipsychotic medications have proven efficacy for many patients taking these medications; however, a considerable number of patients continue to experience ongoing symptoms and relapse, often due to lack of adherence. The advent of long-acting injectable (LAI) formulations of antipsychotic medications provided an opportunity to improve treatment adherence and overall patient outcomes. Despite data to support LAI efficacy, safety, and improved adherence over oral formulations, there are several misconceptions about and barriers to LAI implementation within a standard of care for patients with schizophrenia. Areas of resistance around LAIs include (1) doubts regarding their benefits outside of improved adherence, (2) questions regarding their prescribing to a broader population of patients with schizophrenia, (3) when to initiate LAIs, (4) concerns regarding the safety of LAIs in comparison with oral medication, and (5) the most effective ways to educate healthcare providers, patients, and caretakers to enable appropriate LAI consideration and acceptance. Here, we discuss these key controversies associated with LAIs and provide supportive evidence to facilitate LAI use in a manner that is constructive to the clinician-patient relationship and successful treatment.

Real-World Evidence of the Clinical and Economic Impact of Long-Acting Injectable Versus Oral Antipsychotics Among Patients with Schizophrenia in the United States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics, compared with oral antipsychotics (OA), have been found to significantly improve patient outcomes, including reduced hospitalizations and emergency room (ER) admissions and increased medication adherence among adult patients with schizophrenia. In turn, the clinical benefits achieved may translate into lower economic burden. Real-world evidence of the comparative effectiveness of LAI is needed to understand the potential benefits of LAI outside of the context of clinical trials. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive synthesis of recent published real-world studies comparing healthcare utilization, costs, and adherence between patients with schizophrenia treated with LAI versus OA in the United States.

METHODS

In this systematic literature review, MEDLINE^® was searched for peer-reviewed, real-world studies (i.e., retrospective or pragmatic designs) published in English between January 1, 2010 and February 10, 2020. Comparative studies reporting hospitalizations, ER admissions, healthcare costs, or medication adherence (measured by proportion of days covered [PDC]) in adults with schizophrenia treated with LAI versus OA (or pre- vs post-LAI initiation) in the United States were retained. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted among eligible studies to evaluate the association of LAI versus OA use on hospitalizations, ER admissions, healthcare costs, and treatment adherence. A sensitivity analysis among the subset of studies that compared OA with paliperidone palmitate once monthly (PP1M), specifically, was conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 1083 articles were identified by the electronic literature search, and two publications were manually added subsequently. Among the 57 publications meeting the inclusion criteria, 25 provided sufficient information for inclusion in the meta-analyses. Compared with patients treated with OA, patients initiated on LAI had lower odds of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54-0.71, n = 7), fewer hospitalizations (incidence rate ratio [IRR] [95% CI] 0.75 [0.65-0.88], n = 9), and fewer ER admissions (IRR [95% CI] 0.86 [0.77-0.97], n = 6). The initiation of LAI was associated with higher per-patient-per-year (PPPY) pharmacy costs (mean difference [MD] [95% CI] $5603 [3799-7407], n = 6), which was offset by lower PPPY medical costs (MD [95% CI] - $5404 [- 7745 to - 3064], n = 6), resulting in no significant net difference in PPPY total all-cause healthcare costs between patients treated with LAI and those treated with OA (MD [95% CI] $327 [- 1565 to 2219], n = 7). Patients initiated on LAI also had higher odds of being adherent to their medication (PDC ≥ 80%; OR [95% CI] 1.89 [1.52-2.35], n = 9). A sensitivity analysis on a subset of publications evaluating PP1M found results similar to those of the main analysis conducted at the LAI class level.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on multiple studies with varying sub-types of patient populations with schizophrenia in the United States published in the last decade, this meta-analysis demonstrated that LAI antipsychotics were associated with improved medication adherence and significant clinical benefit such as reduced hospitalizations and ER admissions compared with OA. The lower medical costs offset the higher pharmacy costs, resulting in a non-significant difference in total healthcare costs. Taken together, these findings provide strong evidence on the clinical and economic benefits of LAI compared with OA for the treatment of schizophrenia in the real world.

Treatment of Patients with Recently Exacerbated Schizophrenia with Paliperidone Palmitate: A Pilot Study of Efficacy and Tolerability

BACKGROUND

Paliperidone palmitate is a long-acting, second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) indicated for the treatment of acute exacerbations and maintenance treatment of adults with schizophrenia. This study addressed the response to paliperidone palmitate in Latin American patients with acute symptoms and recently diagnosed schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE

Explore the efficacy and tolerability of paliperidone palmitate administered once a month for 4 months in patients with acute phase and recent diagnosis (within 1-6 years) of schizophrenia in 3 Latin American countries.

METHODS

This was a non-randomized, open-label, multicenter study with paliperidone palmitate injected intramuscularly in the deltoid muscle at an initial loading dose of 150 mg eq. (234 mg) on day 1 and 100 mg eq. (156 mg) on day 8 (± 4 days). The recommended maintenance dose was 75 mg eq. (117 mg) from day 36 to day 92. Efficacy was evaluated with PANSS and CGI-S. The last observation carried forward (LOCF) was used for efficacy analysis for imputation of missing data; no adjustments were made for multiplicity. Adverse events were evaluated during treatment.

RESULTS

The patient retention rate was 84.0% (144 patients received study drug; 121 finished the study). The percentage of patients with a reduction of at least 30% in PANSS total score compared to baseline gradually increased during the study, and at the end, 78.4% of patients showed response. The PANSS total score and CGI-S scores decreased significantly from baseline to LOCF endpoint (P <0.0001 for both); significant reduction in PANSS total score was observed at day 8 and persisted to the end of the study. Most common adverse events were muscle rigidity (11.8%), akathisia (11.1%), injection-site pain (7.6%), weight gain (7.6%), and insomnia (7.6%).

CONCLUSION

Paliperidone palmitate was efficacious in Latin American patients studied with an acute exacerbation and recent diagnosis of schizophrenia, and no new safety signals were identified.

Perceptions of Psychiatrists Toward the Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics: An Online Survey Study From India

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND

Despite proven benefits of long-acting injectables (LAIs), these are frequently underused by the psychiatrists. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the perceptions of psychiatrists toward the use of LAI antipsychotics in their routine clinical practice.

METHODS/PROCEDURE

An online e-mail survey was conducted by using Survey Monkey platform.

RESULTS

A total of 622 psychiatrists with a mean age of 41 years who were in psychiatric practice for approximately 14 years participated in the survey. Participants reported using LAI, mainly for patients with schizophrenia, with LAI prescribed to approximately one-tenth (9.30%) of their patients in acute phase of illness and in one-fifth (18.42%) of patients in stabilization/stable phase. Fluphenazine decanoate (32.7%) was the most commonly used LAI followed by flupenthixol decanoate (19.5%), haloperidol decanoate (17.8%), and olanzapine pamoate (11.1%). The most common reasons for starting LAI were history of medication (100%) and treatment (80.5%) nonadherence, followed by having frequent relapses/exacerbations of symptoms (54.8%). Overall, more than half of the participants felt the level of acceptance of LAI among patients offered to be quite reasonable (54.3%), and mostly, LAIs were used as combination therapy with oral antipsychotics (73.6%). Despite all these, approximately three-fifths (59%) of the participants reported that they underuse LAI to a certain extent, with most common reasons that deter them from using LAI being the cost (55.45%), lack of interest of patients in receiving LAI (42.9%), lack of regular availability (41.3%), and patients being scared of receiving injectables (41.2%).

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS

The LAI antipsychotics despite having several benefits are still underused by a substantial proportion of practicing psychiatrists.

Olanzapine Pamoate Use for Schizophrenia: Retrospective Records Based Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital

BACKGROUND

Little is known from India about the experience of using olanzapine long-acting antipsychotic injectables (LAI). In this background, this study aimed to evaluate the clinical profile of patients suffering from schizophrenia who were prescribed olanzapine LAI and to evaluate the usefulness and acceptability of olanzapine LAI among these patients.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, data of all the patients with schizophrenia receiving olanzapine pamoate, was extracted.

RESULTS

40 patients (males-55%; mean [SD] age- 36.2 (12) years; mean duration of illness (SD) prior to depot-143.3 (115.9) months) were included in the study. Olanzapine LAI was invariably prescribed in patients with a past history of non-compliance. Data was available for a mean (SD) follow-up duration of 17 (10.8) months. The most frequently used dose of olanzapine LAI used was 300 mg every two weeks (55%). This was followed by 405 mg every four weeks in (32.5%). Mean Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Severity score prior to starting of olanzapine LAI was 5.8 (0.7), which reduced to 2.7 (1.1) at the time of last follow-up or the last use of olanzapine LAI, and this was a statistically significant improvement (paired t-test value = 16.41; P < 0.001). Only one (2.5%) patient experienced Post injection Delirium/Sedation Syndrome during the study period. Only one patient was hospitalized after starting depot olanzapine.

CONCLUSION

Olanzapine LAI is mostly used in patients with a history of non-compliance. Olanzapine LAI is associated with a significant reduction in the severity of illness.

Attitudes Toward Long-Term Medication Use-A Comparison Between Concerned Populations and a Sample From the German General Population: An Example of Real World Evidence

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND

The present study was conducted to investigate the difference in attitudes toward psychiatric drugs, long-term medication, and depot formulations between psychiatric patients and patient-related groups and the German general public.

METHODS/PROCEDURES

Different groups (n = 50 patients, n = 34 relatives of patients, n = 42 psychiatrists, n = 70 medical students, and n = 58 psychiatric nursing professionals) were surveyed using a questionnaire to investigate their attitude toward depot medication and compared with matched participants from the German general public.

FINDINGS/RESULTS

Patients did not differ from their matched controls regarding their attitude toward potential reasons to reject a depot, whereas psychiatrists (P = 0.002) and nursing staff (P = 0.003) were more concerned about patients fearing an injection than their matched controls.

IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS

Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses were significantly more concerned about giving an (intragluteal) injection because of concerns about patients' fears of this administration method than their matched controls. In contrast, patients' concerns about receiving an injection did not differ from their matched controls. Furthermore, we found that psychiatrists tended to believe that giving an injection might be time-consuming than giving oral medication. These results may emphasize the fact that the low rate of depot medication use is derived from subjective reservations of medical staff rather than actual negative attitudes or fears of patients.

Reasons for initiating long-acting antipsychotics in psychiatric practice: findings from the STAR Network Depot Study

BACKGROUND

Long acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics have been claimed to ensure treatment adherence and possibly reduce the daily burden of oral formulations. So far, only surveys investigating the theoretical prescribing attitudes of clinicians have been employed. On this basis, we aimed to investigate reasons for prescribing LAIs in a real-world, unselected sample of patients.

METHODS

The STAR Network Depot Study is an observational, multicentre study consecutively enrolling adults initiating a LAI over a 12-months period. Clinical severity was assessed with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and patient's attitude toward medications with the Drug Attitude Inventory 10 items. Psychiatrists recorded reasons for LAI prescribing for each study participant. Responses were grouped into six non-mutually exclusive categories: aggressiveness, patient engagement, ease of drug taking, side-effects, stigma, adherence.

RESULTS

Of the 451 patients included, two-thirds suffered from chronic psychoses. Improving patient engagement with the outpatient psychiatric service was the most common reason for prescribing LAIs (almost 80% of participants), followed by increasing treatment adherence (57%), decreasing aggressiveness (54%), and improving ease of drug taking (52%). After adjusting for confounders, logistic regression analyses showed that reasons for LAI use were associated with LAI choice (e.g. first-generation LAIs for reducing aggressiveness).

CONCLUSION

Despite the wide availability of novel LAI formulation and the emphasis on their wider use, our data suggest that the main reasons for LAI use have remained substantially unchanged over the years, focusing mostly on improving patient's engagement. Further, clinicians follow implicit prescribing patterns when choosing LAIs, and this may generate hypotheses for future experimental studies.

Patients' Preference for Long-Acting Injectable versus Oral Antipsychotics in Schizophrenia: Results from the Patient-Reported Medication Preference Questionnaire

INTRODUCTION

Understanding patients' preferences for long-acting injectable (LAI) or oral antipsychotics (pills) could help reduce potential barriers to LAI use in schizophrenia.

METHODS

Post hoc analyses were conducted from a double-blind, randomized, non-inferiority study (NCT01515423) of 3-monthly vs 1-monthly paliperidone palmitate in patients with schizophrenia. Data from the Medication Preference Questionnaire, administered on day 1 (baseline; open-label stabilization phase), were analyzed. The questionnaire includes four sets of items: 1) reasons for general treatment preference based on goals/outcomes and preference for LAI vs pills based on 2) personal experience, 3) injection-site (deltoid vs gluteal), 4) dosing frequency (3-monthly vs 1-monthly). A logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the effect of baseline variables on preference (LAIs or pills).

RESULTS

Data from 1402 patients were available for analysis. Patients who preferred LAIs recognized these outcomes as important: "I feel more healthy" (57%), "I can get back to my favorite activities" (56%), "I don't have to think about taking my medicines" (54%). Most common reasons for medication preference (LAI vs pills) were: "LAIs/pills are easier for me" (67% vs 18%), "more in control/don't have to think about taking medicine" (64% vs 14%), "less pain/sudden symptoms" (38% vs 18%) and "less embarrassed" (0% vs 46%). Majority of patients (59%) preferred deltoid over gluteal injections (reasons: faster administration [63%], easier [51%], less embarrassing [44%]). In total, 50% of patients preferred 3-monthly over 1-monthly (38%) or every day (3%) dosing citing reasons: fewer injections [96%], fewer injections are less painful [84%], and fewer doctor visits [80%]. From logistic regression analysis, 77% of patients preferred LAI over pills; culture and race appeared to play a role in this preference.

CONCLUSION

Patients who preferred LAI antipsychotics prioritized self-empowerment and quality-of-life-related goals. When given the option, patients preferred less-frequent, quarterly injections over monthly injections and daily oral medications.

Early initiation of long-acting injectable antipsychotic treatment is associated with lower hospitalization rates and healthcare costs in patients with schizophrenia: real-world evidence from US claims data

Objective: Early initiation of antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia is associated with improved outcomes. This study aimed to determine if initiation of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic treatment early in a new schizophrenia episode is associated with lower hospitalization rates and healthcare costs in a real-world setting. Methods: This retrospective (January 1, 2007-June 30, 2016) cohort analysis used claims from Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Commercial, Medicaid, and Medicare Supplemental databases. In adults ≥18 years with a new episode of schizophrenia, two mutually exclusive cohorts were identified based on time from first recorded schizophrenia diagnosis date to first date of LAI initiation (index date): ≤1 year (early initiators) and >1 year (late initiators). Logistic and general linear regression models were performed to estimate adjusted hospitalization rate and healthcare costs in a 1-year follow-up, controlling patient demographic and clinical characteristics, insurance type, baseline all-cause hospitalizations and ED visits, and baseline psychiatric medication use. Results: Of the subjects, 32% (n = 1388) initiated treatment early and 68% (n = 2978) initiated treatment later. In risk-adjusted models, all-cause hospitalization rates were 22.2% (95% CI = 19.9-24.6%) in early initiators and 26.9% (95% CI = 25.2-28.7%) in late initiators (p = .002). Of early initiators, 14.1% (95% CI = 12.3-16.1%) had a psychiatric hospitalization vs 19.2% (95% CI = 17.7-20.8%) of late initiators (p < .001). Adjusted psychiatric healthcare costs were significantly lower in early initiators compared with late initiators [mean (95% CI) = $21,545 (20,355-22,734) vs $24,132 (23,330-24,933)] (p < .001). Conclusions: LAI initiation within 1 year of a new schizophrenia episode led to lower hospitalization rates and healthcare costs compared with LAI initiation more than 1 year after a new episode.

Attitudes toward long-acting injectable antipsychotics among patients with schizophrenia in Japan

BACKGROUND

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are regarded as an important alternative to oral medication for patients with schizophrenia. However, LAIs remain under-utilized in clinical practice.

AIMS

The aims of this investigation were to 1) obtain information on patients' attitudes toward LAIs and 2) assess factors associated with patients' acceptance of LAIs, and 3) identify predictors of the discrepancy between patients and referring psychiatrists' opinions regarding the appropriateness for LAIs.

METHODS

Anonymized data were collected from a questionnaire distributed to 159 patients with schizophrenia and their referring psychiatrists at three psychiatric hospitals between February 2014 and July 2014. The patients completed an original questionnaire developed to evaluate their attitudes regarding LAIs. Regarding the appropriateness of LAI prescription, patients and their referring psychiatrists were asked to rate, on a 5-point scale, how appropriate they felt the depot prescription was for the patients. The participants also answered instruments to assess symptom severity, antipsychotic-induced extrapyramidal symptoms, functions, quality of life, and self-esteem levels.

RESULTS

Patients currently on LAIs have favorable attitudes toward LAIs with respect to side effects, relapse prevention, efficacy, pain, and cost. Expectation of relapse prevention was significantly associated with patients' acceptance of LAIs (answering that those drugs are appropriate for their own treatment). In addition, the discrepancy between the patients' and referring psychiatrists' opinions regarding the appropriateness of LAI treatment was significantly associated with symptom severity, expectation of relapse prevention, belief that LAIs are painful, and belief that LAIs offer a reduced range of antipsychotic choices.

CONCLUSION

Attitudes toward LAIs need to be considered when deciding whether to prescribe this formulation. Access to information on LAIs, including their benefit in relapse prevention, might enhance the acceptance and use of this formulation among patients with schizophrenia.

An open-treatment six-week study of the clinical effectiveness of Paliperidone Palmitate in schizophrenia: data from acute units in Spain (SHADOW study)

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate clinical evolution of patients with schizophrenia admitted in acute units because of a relapse and treated with once-monthly Paliperidone Palmitate (PP1M).

METHODS

This multicentre, open-label, prospective observational study followed patients with schizophrenia treated with PP1M in acute psychiatric units for up to 6 weeks.

RESULTS

Out of the 280 enrolled patients, 61 received PP1M as antipsychotic monotherapy, and 219 in combination with other antipsychotics. The average Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia (CGI-SCH) score decreased from 4.7 at baseline to 3.3 at final visit (p < .0001); the change was clinically and statistically significant both in patients treated with PP1M in monotherapy and in combination with other antipsychotics. Clear improvements in functioning and high patient satisfaction with the treatment were observed. Time from admission to PP1M therapy initiation correlated with the length of hospital stay (p < .0001); earlier start of PP1M treatment was associated with shorter hospital stay. Adverse events were reported in 7.1% of patients (all non-serious).

CONCLUSIONS

PP1M was effective and well tolerated in treatment of acute episodes of schizophrenia both in monotherapy and in combination with other antipsychotics in clinical setting. Early start of PP1M therapy in acute schizophrenia episodes might help to shorten hospital stay.

Factors associated with first- versus second-generation long-acting antipsychotics prescribed under ordinary clinical practice in Italy

Background

For many years, long-acting intramuscular (LAI) antipsychotics have been prescribed predominantly to chronic and severe patients, as a last resort when other treatments failed. Recently, a broader and earlier use of LAIs, particularly second-generation LAIs, has been emphasized. To date, few studies attempted to frame how this change in prescribing took place in real-world practice. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the clinical features of patients prescribed with LAIs, and to explore possible prescribing differences between first- and second-generations LAIs under ordinary clinical practice in Italy.

Methods

The STAR Network “Depot” Study is an observational, longitudinal, multicenter study involving 35 centers in Italy. In the cross-sectional phase, patients prescribed with LAIs were consecutively recruited and assessed over a period of 12 months. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed.

Results

Of the 451 recruited patients, 61% were males. The level of social and working functioning was heterogeneous, as was the severity of disease. Seventy-two per cent of the patients had a diagnosis of the schizophrenia spectrum. Seventy per cent were prescribed with second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) LAIs (mostly paliperidone, aripiprazole and risperidone). Compared to first-generation antipsychotic (FGA) LAIs, patients prescribed with SGA LAIs were more often younger; employed; with a diagnosis of the schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorder; with higher levels of affective symptoms; with fewer LAI prescriptions in the past.

Discussion

LAIs’ prescribing practices appear to be more flexible as compared to the past, although this change is mostly restricted to SGA LAIs.

Changes in attitude towards LAI antipsychotic maintenance treatment: A two-year follow-up study

Background:

To present real-world evidence on the effects of switching from oral to long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic maintenance treatment (AMT) in a sample of clinically stable patients with schizophrenia, with regard to subjective experience of treatment, attitude towards drug and quality of life.

Methods:

50 clinically stable adult schizophrenic outpatients were recruited. At the time of enrolment (T0), all patients were under a stabilized therapy with a single oral second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) and were switched to the equivalent maintenance regimen with the long-acting formulation of the same antipsychotic. 43 patients completed the 24-month prospective, longitudinal, open-label, observational study. Participants were assessed at baseline (T0), after 12 (T1) and 24 months (T2), using psychometric scales (PANSS, YMRS and MDRS) and patient-reported outcome measures (SWN-K, DAI-10 and SF-36).

Results:

The switch to LAI-AMT was associated with a significant clinical improvement at T1 and T2 compared to baseline (T0). All of the psychometric indexes, as well as patients’ subjective experience of treatment (SWN-K), and quality of life (SF-36) showed a significant improvement after one year of LAI-AMT, with stable results after two years. Patients’ attitude towards drug (DAI-10) increased throughout the follow-up period, with a further improvement during the second year.

Conclusions:

The switch to LAI-AMT may help to address the subjective core of an optimal recovery in stabilized schizophrenic patients. A sustained improvement in patients’ attitude towards drug may help to achieve patient’s compliance. The size of this study needs to be expanded to produce more solid and generalizable results.

Can a digital medicine system improve adherence to antipsychotic treatment?

A substantial proportion of people with mental health conditions do not adhere to prescribed pharmacological treatments. Poor adherence is probably one of the most critical elements contributing to relapse in people with schizophrenia and other severe mental disorders. In order to tackle this global issue, in November 2017 the Food and Drug Administration approved a tablet formulation of the atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole embedded with a novel digital adherence-assessment device. In this commentary, we critically appraised the potential beneficial and harmful consequences of this new digital formulation of aripiprazole, and we highlighted expected implications for clinical practice.

The emerging role of physiologically based pharmacokinetic modelling in solid drug nanoparticle translation

The use of solid drug nanoparticles (SDN) has become an established approach to improve drug delivery, supporting enhancement of oral absorption and long-acting administration strategies. A broad range of SDNs have been successfully utilised for multiple products and several development programmes are currently underway across different therapeutic areas. With some approaches, a large range of material space is available with diversity in physical characteristics, excipient choice and pharmacological behaviour. The selection of SDN lead candidates is a complex process including a broad range of in vitro and in vivo data, and a better understanding of how physical characteristics relate to performance is required. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling is based upon a comprehensive integration of experimental data into a mathematical description of drug distribution, allowing simulation of SDN pharmacokinetics that can be qualified in vivo prior to human prediction. This review aims to provide a description of how PBPK can find application into the development of SDN. Integration of predictive PBPK modelling into SDN development allows a better understanding of the SDN dose-response relationship, supporting a framework for rational optimisation while reducing the risk of failure in developing safe and effective nanomedicines.

Medication adherence and discontinuation of long-acting injectable versus oral antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

AIMS

To examine medication adherence and discontinuation in two separate groups of patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (BD), who began receiving a long-acting injectable antipsychotic (LAI) versus those who changed to a different oral antipsychotic monotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Multi-State Medicaid claims database was used to identify patients with schizophrenia; Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Commercial and Medicaid claims databases were used to identify patients with BD. The analyses included adult patients (≥18 years) who either began receiving an LAI (no prior LAI therapy) or changed to a different oral antipsychotic (monotherapy). The first day of initiating an LAI or changing to a new oral antipsychotic was the index date. Linear and Cox regression models were conducted to estimate medication adherence (proportion of days covered [PDC]) and time to medication discontinuation (continuous medication gap ≥60 days), respectively. Models adjusted for patient demographic and clinical characteristics, baseline medication use, and baseline ED or hospitalizations.

RESULTS

Patients with schizophrenia (N = 5638) who began receiving LAIs had better medication adherence (5% higher adjusted mean adherence) during the 1 year post-index period and were 20% less likely to discontinue their medication during the entire follow-up period than patients who changed to a different oral antipsychotic monotherapy, adjusting for differences between LAI users and oral users. Similarly, patients with BD (N = 11,344) who began receiving LAIs also had 5% better medication adherence and were 19% less likely to discontinue their medication than those using oral antipsychotics.

LIMITATIONS

Clinical differences unmeasurable in this database may have been responsible for the choice of LAI versus oral antipsychotics, and these differences may be responsible for some of the adherence advantages observed.

CONCLUSIONS

This real-world study suggests that patients with schizophrenia or BD who began receiving LAIs had better medication adherence and lower discontinuation risk than those who changed to a different oral antipsychotic monotherapy.

All-cause hospitalization and associated costs in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder initiating long-acting injectable antipsychotics

OBJECTIVE

To compare all-cause hospitalization and associated costs among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (BD) treated with long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs).

METHODS

The Truven MarketScan Medicaid claims database was used to identify patients with schizophrenia; MarketScan Medicaid and commercial claims databases were used to identify BD. Adult patients with ≥1 LAI claim from January 1, 2013-June 30, 2014 (ID period) were identified. The first day of LAI initiation was the index date; patients were followed for ≥1 year. Logistic and general linear regression models were used to estimate the risk of hospitalization and associated costs.

RESULTS

Adjusted analyses showed that, in the schizophrenia cohort, risks of hospitalization were statistically significantly higher in the haloperidol [OR (95% CI) = 1.51 (1.05-2.16); HR (95% CI) = 1.35 (1.05-1.73)] and risperidone [OR (95% CI) = 1.58 (1.07-2.33); HR (95% CI) = 1.33 (1.01-1.74)] cohorts than in the aripiprazole once monthly extended release (AOM 400) cohort. Similarly, in patients with BD, risks of hospitalization were significantly higher in haloperidol [OR (95% CI) = 1.49 (1.01-2.19); HR (95% CI) = 1.33 (1.03-1.73)] and risperidone [OR (95% CI) = 1.78 (1.19-2.66); HR (95% CI) = 1.33 (1.01-1.75)] than in AOM400. No statistically significant differences in hospitalization costs were observed in either disease group.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the study results may be subject to confounding variables that are not contained in claims databases, such as disease severity, it appears that AOM400 may be more effective than haloperidol and risperidone LAIs among patients with schizophrenia or BD.

Discrepancy in Taiwanese psychiatrists' preferences for long-acting injectable antipsychotics across facilities: a nationwide questionnaire survey

BACKGROUND

Although many studies have discussed psychiatrists' attitudes toward long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs), no previous study has focused on differences in preference based on the facilities in which the psychiatrists practiced.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A pilot survey was conducted in a medical center in northern Taiwan, and a questionnaire was then distributed at the annual conference of the Taiwanese Society of Psychiatry in 2013. The questionnaire included general demographic data and preferences for the use of LAIs in different situations.

RESULTS

A total of 142 psychiatrists were included in our study. Among them, 114 were male (80.3%), and most practiced in general hospitals (n=110, 77.5%). We found that general hospital psychiatrists were more likely to prescribe LAIs for patients in the acute stage and with positive symptoms than were psychiatric hospital psychiatrists. General hospital psychiatrists also tended to prescribe LAIs at every time point of the disease.

CONCLUSION

General hospital psychiatrists were more likely to prescribe LAIs than those in psychiatric hospitals. Knowing the factors affecting psychiatrists' preferences may help us to develop a further study to explore "why" psychiatrists consider or do not consider LAIs in different facilities.

Acceptance rate of long-acting injection after short information: a survey in patients with first- and multiple-episode psychoses and their caregivers

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the acceptance rates of long-acting injection (LAI) in patients with first- and multiple-episode psychoses before and after providing concise information about LAI to the patients and their caregivers. Additionally, predictors of choosing LAI and the reasons for reluctance to accept LAI were also evaluated.

METHODS

The survey included the questionnaire about participants' demographic characteristics, prior knowledge about LAI, attitude towards the importance of medication or psychotherapy and acceptance for LAI - treatment. The acceptance rate for LAI was re-evaluated after providing short information about current LAI or to the hypothetical questions like if there are a 3-ms lasting injection or the cost of injection is cheap.

RESULT

This study included 161 patients and 113 caregivers who completed a cross-sectional survey. Following exposure to LAI information, acceptance rates for this method of treatment did not change in all groups. However, acceptance rates increased significantly when asked if the cost of LAI was cheaper than the current oral medication and the effect of LAI lasted for 3 months. Significant predictors of acceptance of LAI in patients with first-episode psychosis were prior knowledge about LAI, attitudes towards the importance of medication and discomfort due to medication side-effects.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated that a substantial portion of patients with first- and multiple-episode psychoses and their caregivers prefer LAI over their current oral medication. The acceptance of LAI was not increased by providing succinct information concerning this method of treatment.

The Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics in Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mostly chronic mental disorder, and symptomatic relapse is frequently observed. It is often associated with social and/or occupational decline that can be difficult to reverse. Most patients with the illness need long-term pharmacological treatment, and antipsychotic drugs represent the mainstay of clinical care. Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are an important alternative to oral medication, particularly advantageous in the context of compliance management. Several new-generation antipsychotics (NGAs), including risperidone, olanzapine, paliperidone, and aripiprazole, have become available as long-acting formulations, and new evidence has been accumulating. To date, all of the NGA LAIs have demonstrated a statistically and clinically significant decrease of relapse rates over placebo. The results of clinical trials comparing NGA LAIs with oral antipsychotics (OAPs) are not consistent, as being influenced considerably by study design. Superiority of LAIs to OAPs in efficacy is most evident in mirror image and cohort studies. New-generation LAIs are comparable to their oral mother compounds regarding safety and tolerability if one disregards potential injection site complications. There is little evidence of efficacy differences between the available LAIs, but they have different characteristics in terms of pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles, injection interval, cost, requirements for oral supplementation, as well as adverse events. Considering these differences is useful for selecting LAIs for the treatment of individual patients. There is increasing evidence suggesting the use of LAIs in special patient groups, such as first-episode or forensic schizophrenia patients. This article reviews data on the use of NGA LAIs in schizophrenia and discusses current issues from clinical and methodological perspectives.

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics for the prevention of relapse in patients with recent-onset psychotic disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigated the advantages of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAI-APs) over oral antipsychotics (OAPs) with regard to efficacy and safety for patients with recent-onset psychotic disorders. Effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were calculated. We identified five RCTs (1022 patients, mean study duration=18±7.59 months) that compared LAI-APs (paliperidone or risperidone) with OAPs. Pooled LAI-APs did not outperform OAPs in terms of the preventing of relapse (N=3, n=875). However, there was significant heterogeneity (I²=76%), with one study showing no superiority of LAI-APs over OAPs [Malla 2013: risk ratio (RR)=1.83, 95%CI=0.70-4.77, n=77] and the other two studies showing LAI-APs to be superior [Schreiner 2015: [RR=0.71, 95%CI=0.51-0.97, number needed to treat (NNT)=-17, n=715, Subotnik 2015: RR=0.15, 95%CI=0.04-0.63, NNT=-4, n=83]. Pooling the studies, there were no significant differences between LAI-APs and OAPs in the improvement of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores or in discontinuation due to all-cause, adverse events (AEs), and death, but LAI-APs outperformed OAPs in terms of discontinuation due to inefficacy (RR=0.34, NNT=-50) and nonadherence (RR=0.30, NNT=-33). However, the LAI-APs were associated with a higher incidence of at least one AE (RR=1.13) and tremor (RR=2.38) compared with OAPs.

Current Data on and Clinical Insights into the Treatment of First Episode Nonaffective Psychosis: A Comprehensive Review

Implementing the most suitable treatment strategies and making appropriate clinical decisions about individuals with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) is a complex and crucial task, with relevant impact in illness outcome. Treatment approaches in the early stages should go beyond choosing the right antipsychotic drug and should also address tractable factors influencing the risk of relapse. Effectiveness and likely metabolic and endocrine disturbances differ among second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) and should guide the choice of the first-line treatment. Clinicians should be aware of the high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in schizophrenia patients, and therefore monitoring weight and metabolic changes across time is mandatory. Behavioral and counseling interventions might be partly effective in reducing weight gain and metabolic disturbances. Ziprasidone and aripiprazole have been described to be least commonly associated with weight gain or metabolic changes. In addition, some of the SGAs (risperidone, amisulpride, and paliperidone) have been associated with a significant increase of plasma prolactin levels. Overall, in cases of FEP, there should be a clear recommendation of using lower doses of the antipsychotic medication. If no or minimal clinical improvement is found after 2 weeks of treatment, such patients may benefit from a change or augmentation of treatment. Clinicians should provide accurate information to patients and relatives about the high risk of relapse if antipsychotics are discontinued, even if patients have been symptom free and functionally recovered on antipsychotic treatment for a lengthy period of time.

Clinical benefits and impact of early use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics for schizophrenia

AIM

Results from clinical trials support the use of oral antipsychotics for treatment of early or first-episode psychosis in patients with schizophrenia. This paper will review literature on the advantages of early initiation of treatment for schizophrenia and the clinical benefits of early use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs).

METHOD

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify published literature on the use of LAIs early in the treatment of schizophrenia.

RESULTS

Although there is a higher response rate to initial antipsychotic treatment for a first-episode of schizophrenia than with subsequent antipsychotic treatment, we have not effectively addressed this issue. Poor adherence to treatment is a primary cause of relapse and rehospitalization in subsequent years and was associated with higher relapse rates resulting in devastating effects and substantial economic burden. The costs of nonadherence were estimated to be $1.48 billion. Thus, a major challenge with the treatment of schizophrenia is changing poor adherence to persistence with antipsychotic therapy. LAIs are known to be at least as effective as oral antipsychotics for treating schizophrenia, and yet are underutilized. Further, LAIs address many of the problems associated with adherence to oral therapy. Recent evidence suggests that LAIs are effective for treating first-episode psychosis and for early initiation of treatment for schizophrenia.

CONCLUSION

Although consistent antipsychotic treatment represents a critical part of treatment, a person-centred approach to treating schizophrenia is essential for all aspects of care, including establishing and maintaining a therapeutic alliance, strengthening shared decision-making and adherence, and achieving long-lasting recovery.

Barriers to the Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics in the Management of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia and related disorders remain major disabling conditions, mainly due to antipsychotic treatment resistance and to relapses related to antipsychotic nonadherence. Treatment nonadherence rates are consistently high in long-term patients, but also in first-episode patients with schizophrenia. Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIAs) were mainly developed to improve adherence to treatment and to reduce the rate of relapse and rehospitalization in schizophrenia due to treatment discontinuation. There is favorable clinical evidence, in terms of both efficacy and treatment adherence, that could support higher LAIA prescription rates, especially in patients in early phases of psychotic disorders. Several factors could be hindering wider use of LAIAs, mainly associated with perceptions and attitudes of patients, clinicians, and health managers or policy makers. The main aims of this review are (i) to summarize the existing data on the efficacy and tolerability of LAIAs compared with oral formulations in the management of schizophrenia and related disorders, focusing on the novel, second-generation LAIA options; (ii) to analyze the barriers that exist to the more widespread use of these formulations; and (iii) to discuss possible approaches to overcoming these barriers.

LAI versus oral: A case-control study on subjective experience of antipsychotic maintenance treatment

BACKGROUND

To present real-world evidence on the differences between long-acting injectable (LAI) and oral antipsychotic maintenance treatment (AMT) in terms of subjective well-being, attitudes towards drug and quality of life in a sample of remitted schizophrenic subjects.

METHODS

Twenty outpatients with remitted schizophrenia treated with either olanzapine or paliperidone and switching from the oral to the LAI formulation of their maintenance treatment were recruited before the switch (LAI-AMT group). A group of 20 remitted schizophrenic subjects with oral AMT and matching main sociodemographic, clinical and treatment variables made up the control group (oral-AMT group). All participants were assessed in terms of objective (PANSS, YMRS, MADRS) and subjective (SWN-K, DAI-10, SF-36) treatment outcomes at baseline (T0) and after 6 months (T1).

RESULTS

Between T0 and T1, general psychopathology of the PANSS, DAI-10, and all but one of the SWN-K dimensions (except for social integration), showed significantly higher percentages of improvement in the LAI-AMT group compared to the oral-AMT group. A generalized expansion of health-related quality of life, with better functioning in almost all areas of daily living, was reported by the LAI-AMT group after the 6-month period. In contrast, the oral-AMT group reported a significant worsening of health-related quality of life in the areas of emotional role and social functioning in the same period.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates possible advantages of LAI over oral antipsychotic formulation in terms of subjective experience of maintenance treatment in remitted schizophrenic patients. Size and duration of this study need to be expanded in order to produce more solid and generalizable results.

Cross-sectional comparison of first-generation antipsychotic long-acting injections vs risperidone long-acting injection: patient-rated attitudes, satisfaction and tolerability

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to compare patients' attitudes and satisfaction with medication and patient-rated tolerability between those prescribed a first-generation antipsychotic long-acting injection (FGA-LAI) and those prescribed risperidone long-acting injection (RLAI).

METHOD

A cross-sectional study of a representative sample of outpatients prescribed an FGA-LAI or RLAI for a minimum of 6 months and attending a depot clinic. Attitudes to medication were assessed by the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-30), tolerability was measured by the Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side Effect Rating Scale (LUNSERS) and satisfaction with antipsychotic medication was assessed by the Satisfaction with Antipsychotic Medication (SWAM) scale.

RESULTS

The RLAI (n = 28) and FGA-LAI (n = 39) groups did not differ in terms of mean age, sex, diagnosis and ethnicity. All individual LAIs were prescribed within British National Formulary limits. The most commonly prescribed FGA-LAI was flupentixol decanoate (n = 22). There was no significant difference between the RLAI and FGA-LAI groups in terms of mean total scores on the DAI-30, LUNSERS and SWAM or the tolerability subscales of the LUNSERS or the two subscales (treatment acceptability and medication insight) of the SWAM. In both LAI groups there was a low level of side effects (LUNSERS) and a generally positive attitude (DAI-30) and reasonable satisfaction (SWAM) with medication.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients treated with FGA-LAI and RLAI for at least 6 months did not differ in terms of patient-rated tolerability, attitudes and satisfaction with medication. The current design cannot determine whether differences would have been evident earlier on during treatment. These results should be regarded as preliminary and are subject to prescribing bias. Randomized studies avoid prescribing bias and are a superior way to compare specific LAIs. Ideally randomized studies should include patient-rated outcome measures including medication tolerability; assessment of side effects, efficacy and quality of life made by blinded raters; and additional objective side-effect data including changes in weight and key blood parameters.

Combining depot antipsychotic with an assertive monitoring programme for treating first-episode schizophrenia in a resource-constrained setting

AIM

To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of depot antipsychotic (flupenthixol decanoate) combined with an assertive monitoring programme (AMP) in first-episode schizophrenia.

METHODS

This was a prospective, non-comparative, longitudinal study conducted over 12 months assessing patient acceptance, adherence, outcome in domains of psychopathology, functionality and quality of life, and tolerability.

RESULTS

Of 207 participants, 149 (72%) completed 12 months of treatment. Acceptance of and adherence to depot was good. Treatment response was achieved by 170 (82%) participants and remission by 124 (60%). Thirty-three (19%) responders relapsed and 10 (5%) participants met a priori criteria for treatment resistance. Treatment was generally well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination of depot antipsychotic with an AMP may be an effective and safe intervention in early phases of schizophrenia, and may be particularly suitable for resource-constrained settings.

Targets, attitudes, and goals of psychiatrists treating patients with schizophrenia: key outcome drivers, role of quality of life, and place of long-acting antipsychotics

PURPOSE

This survey of Italian psychiatrists was conducted to better define drivers of schizophrenia treatment choice in real-life practice, particularly for use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics.

METHODS

Between October 15 and December 15, 2014, 1,000 surveys were sent to psychiatrists who treat schizophrenic patients; 709 completed questionnaires were analyzed (71% response rate).

RESULTS

The two most important factors determining therapy success were efficacy (75% of responses) and tolerability (45%) followed by global functioning (24%) and quality of life (17%). LAI antipsychotics were most often used to facilitate regular treatment monitoring (49%), and 41% of psychiatrists thought that patients with low adherence who had failed oral therapy were well-suited for LAI antipsychotics. Only 4% of respondents saw LAI antipsychotics as appropriate for patients without other therapeutic options.

CONCLUSION

Although efficacy and tolerability were the most common factors used to evaluate treatment success in schizophrenia, psychiatrists also consider QoL and global functioning to be important.

The effects of switching from oral to LAI antipsychotic treatment on subjective experience of schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients: Preliminary results

OBJECTIVE

To present real-world preliminary evidence on the specific effects of switching from oral to long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic treatment on patient's subjective experience and quality of life (QoL) in a sample of clinically stable psychotic subjects.

METHODS

Twenty-six clinically stable adult schizophrenic and schizoaffective outpatients were recruited. All patients were under a stabilized therapy with a single oral second-generation antipsychotic and were switched to the equivalent maintenance regimen with the long-acting formulation of the same antipsychotic. Two subgroups of patients were created on the basis of the presence/absence of a complete clinical remission at enrollment. Anthropometric (body mass index), psychometric (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale, and Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale), and patient's reported outcome (Subjective Well-Being Under Neuroleptics scale short form, Drug Attitude Inventory short version, and Short Form-36 health survey) data were collected at enrollment (T0) and after 6 months from the treatment switch (T1).

RESULTS

Significant improvements in psychometric indexes, and patients' subjective experience of treatment and attitudes toward drug (reflecting in an enrichment of patients' health-related QoL) were found both in initial remitters and non-remitters.

CONCLUSIONS

Our preliminary results suggest that the switch from oral to LAI antipsychotic treatment may help to address the subjective core of an optimal and satisfying recovery of psychotic patients. Size and duration of this study need to be expanded in order to produce more solid and generalizable results.

Profile of paliperidone palmitate once-monthly long-acting injectable in the management of schizophrenia: long-term safety, efficacy, and patient acceptability - a review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Short-term studies focused on once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP) at doses of 25 mg eq, 50 mg eq, 75 mg eq, 100 mg eq, or 150 mg eq have shown its efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of schizophrenia patients. However, few open-label and long-term studies are available regarding this new pharmacological formulation. Thus, our main aim was to review the scientific evidence on efficacy, safety, tolerability, and preference of PP in these populations.

METHOD

Electronic searches were conducted by using PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge databases. All relevant studies published from 2009 until January 2015 were included without any language restriction if patients met diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, and adequate information on efficacy, safety, and tolerability of once-monthly PP was available.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies were identified irrespective of the study design and duration of the follow-up period. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials found that schizophrenia patients receiving PP showed a significant improvement in psychotic symptoms and similar adverse events compared to placebo and suggested that all doses of PP were efficacious and well tolerated. Other studies demonstrated noninferiority of PP compared to risperidone long-acting injectable in recently diagnosed schizophrenia patients, chronically ill patients, as well as in acute and nonacute symptomatic schizophrenia patients, and a similar proportion of treatment-emergent adverse events between both groups were also noted.

CONCLUSION

Several studies have demonstrated that schizophrenia patients treated with PP show higher rates of improvement of psychotic symptoms compared to placebo, and similar efficacy and tolerability outcomes were noted when comparing PP to risperidone long-acting injectable or oral, paliperidone extended release.

The role of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in schizophrenia: a critical appraisal

Despite their widespread use, long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics (APs) are often regarded with some negativity because of the assumption of punishment, control and insufficient evolution towards psychosocial development of patients. However, LAI APs have proved effective in schizophrenia and other severe psychotic disorders because they assure stable blood levels, leading to a reduction of the risk of relapse. Therapeutic opportunities have also arisen after introduction of newer, second-generation LAI APs in recent years. Newer LAI APs are more readily dosed optimally, may be better tolerated and are better suited to integrated rehabilitation programmes. This review outlines the older and newer LAI APs available for the treatment of schizophrenia, with considerations of past and present pharmacological and therapeutic issues. Traditional, evidence-based approaches to systematic reviews and randomized clinical trials are of limited utility in this area so this paper's blending of experimental trials with observational research is particularly appropriate and effective.

A qualitative study of the attitudes of patients in an early intervention service towards antipsychotic long-acting injections

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to investigate attitudinal themes to antipsychotic long-acting injections (LAIs) in patients in an early intervention team (EIT).

METHODS

Interviews were carried out with outpatients purposively sampled from an EIT to represent patients currently prescribed antipsychotic LAIs, oral antipsychotics and those not prescribed antipsychotic medication. Interviews were conducted and analysed according to grounded theory. Recruitment stopped when saturation of themes was reached.

RESULTS

Interviews from 11 patients were analysed (median age 24 years). Attitudes to LAIs were condensed into three key categories: therapeutic alliance and the psychiatrists' recommendation of antipsychotic medication; patients' knowledge and beliefs about LAIs; and patients' views regarding the appropriateness of LAIs. Participants valued their psychiatrist's recommendation as to the most appropriate antipsychotic. Attitudes to LAIs varied but were most positive among those currently receiving a LAI. Among those not prescribed LAIs, some were open to considering a LAI if their clinician recommended it but others were opposed to such treatment and preferred tables. There was a lack of awareness of LAIs as a treatment option among those not prescribed a LAI. Delay in being offered a LAI was reported in the group currently prescribed a LAI. Several participants associated oral antipsychotics, LAIs and mental illness with stigma. Some not prescribed a LAI had misperceptions about the nature of this treatment. Participants regarded the advantages of LAIs as convenience and avoiding forgetting to take tablets, while disadvantages included injection pain, fear of needles and coercion.

CONCLUSION

Lack of knowledge, misperceptions and stigma related to LAIs and other treatment options should be addressed by providing patients with accurate information. This will facilitate patients being involved in choices about treatment, and should they decide to accept medication, which drug and formulation is most appropriate for their needs. Clinicians should avoid making assumptions about patients' attitudes to LAIs; attitudes vary but some early intervention patients not prescribed LAIs are open to considering this treatment. Antipsychotic prescribing should result from a shared decision-making process in which clinicians and patients openly discuss the pros and cons of different formulations and drugs. The themes identified in this qualitative study require further exploration using quantitative methodology.