A Review of Clinical and Economic Evaluations Applied to Psychotropic Therapies Used in the Treatment of Schizophrenia in Argentina

Schizophrenia is considered a serious mental disorder that affects over 21 million people worldwide, and is associated with disability that frequently affects the patient's educational and working performance. In Argentina, two of the most widely used antipsychotics in the treatment of this disorder are haloperidol and risperidone. Both are provided free to patients without health coverage in public healthcare facilities. In this paper we seek to review the clinical and economic benefits of prescribing psychotropic therapies based on haloperidol (a first-generation antipsychotic that is part of the butyrophenone group of drugs) versus risperidone [an atypical or second-generation antipsychotic (neuroleptic) drug] in adult patients who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia. To achieve this objective, an exhaustive search of relevant articles published between 2006 and April 2017 was conducted. This literature search showed that intermittent treatment usually fails to prevent relapses due to irregular protection, therefore continuous treatment is more effective. Although the injectable formats of both drugs [haloperidol depot and long-acting injectable risperidone (LAIR)] have not proven to have significant differences with regard to clinical effectiveness vis-à-vis the tablet formats, they showed a lower cost-effectiveness ratio by reducing patients' relapses. Moreover, LAIR exhibits superior cost effectiveness compared with haloperidol depot. Haloperidol is less expensive than risperidone but is less cost effective; in comparison with haloperidol, treatment with risperidone produces (1) an improvement in quality-adjusted life-years, and (2) a significant reduction in negative symptoms. In most cases, antipsychotic treatments are effective in controlling the positive and negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia, allowing patients to live in their communities without any impairments. However, it is extremely important to combine pharmacological treatment with other measures that constitute psychosocial therapy.

Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Risperidone

After the identification of the influence of serotonergic receptors in ameliorating the negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia, atypical antipsychotics were developed by incorporating dopamine and serotonin antagonism. Risperidone, sold under the trade name Risperdal, was the second atypical antipsychotic developed following clozapine but quickly became a first-line treatment for acute and chronic schizophrenia because of its preferential side effect profile. Despite initial Food and Drug Administration approval 25 years ago, risperidone continues to be a fundamental treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, and autism-related irritability. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines for its balance of efficacy, safety, tolerability, and cost-effectiveness. In this review, we highlight the history and importance of risperidone as an atypical antipsychotic, in addition to its chemical synthesis, manufacturing, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, structure-activity relationship, indications, and adverse effects.

A review of aripiprazole long-acting injection

OBJECTIVES

To review the published literature on aripiprazole once monthly, a second generation antipsychotic (SGA) recently developed as a long-acting injection (LAI), in the form of a suspension of lyophilized aripiprazole reconstituted with an aqueous diluent, for intramuscular administration.

METHODS

An electronic database search was conducted using the key words; relevant articles were then hand searched and websites (FDA, EMA, Otsuka, Lundbeck, NIH) reviewed.

RESULTS

Efficacy has been demonstrated in preventing relapse in a 52 week study versus placebo, and non-inferiority to oral aripiprazole in a 38 week study, as well as in the treatment of hospitalized adult patients with acutely relapsed schizophrenia. Aripiprazole LAI appears cost-effective versus other SGA-LAIs, with improved health-related quality of life and functioning in a head-to-head study with paliperidone LAI. A 6 month (pre and post), mirror-image switch study demonstrated a reduction in hospitalization and associated costs compared with previous antipsychotic treatment. Safety and tolerability are comparable to oral aripiprazole with no new safety signals.

CONCLUSIONS

Experience with oral aripiprazole and the current availability of the long-acting formulation suggest a potential benefit in a variety of clinical scenarios and therefore consideration as a treatment option in the treatment of schizophrenia.

The need for cost-effective choices to treat patients with bipolar 1 disorders including asenapine

BACKGROUND

Bipolar 1 disorders (BPD) are a chronic disorder with prevalence rates of up to 2.6% of the adult population or higher and appreciable direct and indirect costs. As a result, these are a concern to health authorities especially given the low age of onset. Consequently, there is a need to treat BPD patients well and improve their quality-of-life. Pharmacotherapy includes mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics (AAPs). AAPs have different mechanisms of action and side-effects, so treatment needs to be tailored. Asenapine in clinical trials is as effective as olanzapine, with less metabolic side-effects.

METHODS

Chitnis and colleagues assessed the cost-effectiveness of asenapine among patients in healthcare databases.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

They showed in routine care that asenapine also reduces hospital and emergency room admissions, making it cost neutral in BPD, which is of interest to health authorities and clinicians.

What is the evidence for the use of second-generation antipsychotic long-acting injectables as maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder?

BACKGROUND

In recent years, the use of second-generation antipsychotics long-acting injectable in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder has sparked interest in improving adherence and reducing the risk of relapse.

AIMS

This report aims to review the available evidence concerning the use of second-generation antipsychotics depot in bipolar disorder and specify the typology of patients that could be eligible for this formulation.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted using Pubmed and EMBASE.

RESULTS

Data available for the clinician assessing the interests of second-generation antipsychotics depot in long-term treatment of bipolar disorder are limited to risperidone. It seems particularly relevant for bipolar patients with poor adherence or early in the course of illness and can be used as monotherapy with manic polarity. It should always be considered for use in combination with at least one other mood stabilizer in patients with depressive polarity. As for other medications, the benefit/risk ratio for a long-acting should be evaluated individually.

CONCLUSIONS

If using a depot formulation could be considered for all patients in order to approach a perfect compliance, patients with certain clinical profiles could be an argument for prioritizing the use of long-acting injectable as maintenance treatment. Additional studies are needed with other second-generation antipsychotics depot in bipolar patients to generalize their use in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder but the future golden standard of studies with long-acting formulations remains to be defined.

Economic and clinical comparison of atypical depot antipsychotic drugs for treatment of chronic schizophrenia in the Czech Republic

PURPOSE

The Czech Republic is faced with making choices between pharmaceutical products, including depot injectable antipsychotics. A pharmacoeconomic analysis was conducted to determine the cost-effectiveness of atypical depots.

METHODS

An existing 1-year decision-analytic framework was adapted to model drug use in this healthcare system. The average direct costs to the General Insurance Company of the Czech Republic of using paliperidone palmitate (Xeplion®), risperidone (Risperdal Consta®), and olanzapine pamoate (Zypadhera®) were determined. Literature-derived clinical rates populated the model, with costs adjusted to 2012 Euros using the consumer price index. Outcomes included quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), days in remission, and proportions hospitalized or visiting emergency rooms. One-way sensitivity analyses were calculated for all important inputs. A multivariate probability analysis was used to examine the stability of results using 10,000 iterations of simulated input over reasonable ranges of all included variables.

RESULTS

Expected average costs/per patient treated were €5377 for PP-LAI, €6118 for RIS-LAI, and €6537 for OLZ-LAI. Respective QALYs were 0.817, 0.809, and 0.811; ER visits were 0.127, 0.134, and 0.141; hospitalizations were 0.252, 0.298, and 0.289. Results were generally robust in sensitivity analyses. PP-LAI dominated RIS-LAI and OLZ-LAI in 90.2% and 92.1% of simulations, respectively. Results were insensitive to drug prices but sensitive to adherence and hospitalization rates.

CONCLUSIONS

PP-LAI dominated the other two drugs, as it had a lower overall cost and superior clinical outcomes, making it the preferred choice. Using PP-LAI in place of RIS-LAI for chronic relapsing schizophrenia would reduce the overall costs of care for the healthcare system.

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics: evidence of effectiveness and use

OBJECTIVE

To review the evidence for the role of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics (APs), especially the second-generation AP (SGA) LAIs, in the treatment of schizophrenia and to discuss the use rates of LAIs in Canada.

METHOD

A search of online medical databases was conducted of the published literature (1995-2012) of the effects of LAIs on the domains of remission, adherence, relapse, and hospitalization. Results obtained from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and large-scale observational studies were included. Expert consensus data were also solicited on LAI use within a Canadian context.

RESULTS

While the efficacy of LAIs, compared with placebo, is well established, the evidence from RCTs is equivocal for any specific advantage for SGA LAIs, compared with oral medications, probably owing to challenges in conducting such RCTs. Evidence from methodologically less rigorous studies and from clinical practice suggests some advantages in achieving and maintaining remission, risk of relapse, and hospitalization. The rate of LAI (first-generation AP and SGA) use from published outpatient studies is low at 6.3% in Canada, compared with 15% to 80% worldwide. However, there is a relatively high rate of use in specific early psychosis programs and in conjunction with community treatment orders in Canada.

CONCLUSIONS

LAIs are at least as effective as oral APs in the treatment of psychotic disorders. The former may have specific advantages for patients who demonstrate covert nonadherence. The underuse of LAIs in Canada needs to be better understood and addressed.

Are specific initiatives required to enhance prescribing of generic atypical antipsychotics in Scotland?: International implications

BACKGROUND

National and regional authorities in Scotland have introduced multiple measures to appreciably enhance prescribing efficiency for the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), statins and renin-angiotensin inhibitor drugs. Generic oral risperidone recently became available in Scotland; however, schizophrenia is a complex disease with advice from respected authorities suggesting that treatment should be individualised.

AIMS

To assess (i) changes in atypical antipsychotic drug (AAP) utilisation and expenditure following the availability of oral generic risperidone in Scotland; (ii) to determine (a) current INN prescribing rates for risperidone following generic availability and (b) decrease in expenditure/DDD for generic risperidone; (iii) to suggest additional measures that could possibly be introduced in Scotland to further enhance prescribing of generic AAPs; and (iv) to provide guidance to NHS Scotland as well as other European authorities on the implications.

METHODS

Retrospective observational study and an interrupted time series design.

RESULTS

No appreciable change in the utilisation patterns of risperidone pre- and postgeneric availability. Appreciable INN prescribing averaged 93-98% of total oral risperidone. Generic risperidone was 84% below prepatent loss prices by study end, reducing annual expenditure for oral risperidone in 2010 by GB£3.19mn compared with prepatent loss situation. However, overall expenditure on AAPs increased by 42% from 2005 to 2010.

DISCUSSION

As expected, there was no change in utilisation patterns for risperidone, although potential to influence prescribing patterns. Continued high INN prescribing suggests no problems with generic risperidone in practice. Costs will start to decrease as more AAPs lose their patents (olanzapine and quetiapine). There is the possibility to accelerate this reduction through educational activities.

CONCLUSION

There is potential to realise some savings with generic AAPs. However, this is limited by the complexity of the disease area. Any measures introduced must aim at increasing the prescribing of generic AAPs first line in suitable patients.