Factors related to improvement of symptoms, function, and caregiver burden in Chinese patients with schizophrenia after switching to paliperidone palmitate once-monthly from oral antipsychotics

Characteristics of patients with schizophrenia switching from oral antipsychotics to once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP1M): a systematic review

BACKGROUND

The utilization of once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP1M) in schizophrenia treatment has increased due to its enhanced adherence and convenience. However, there is limited evidence on patient characteristics that may influence treatment outcomes when switching from oral antipsychotics (OAPs) to PP1M therapy. This systematic review aims to identify such patient characteristics and explore potential beneficial factors to aid healthcare professionals in clinical practice.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to July 19, 2022. Studies related to patients with schizophrenia who had been previously treated with OAPs and switched to PP1M were identified and included. Outcomes included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score, the clinical Global Impressions - Severity (CGI-S) score, the Personal and Social Performance (PSP) total score, and hospitalisation rate. Data were independently extracted and analysed. The results were presented through a narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

Eleven studies with a total of 4150 patients were included, identifying nine potential characteristics. The most commonly reported characteristics was patient's prior treatment with OAPs, followed by the stage of disease, duration of illness (DI), ethnicity, reason for switching to PP1M, history of hospitalisation, time of start injection of PP1M, the PANSS and PSP total score at baseline. Patients in the acute stage, with a shorter DI, a less than 1-week time interval to PP1M injection, and a lower PANSS total score at baseline may have a trend on providing better improvements on PANSS total score. Acute stage and shorter DI also showed potential trends in reducing CGI-S score. Early initiation of PP1M, switching for reasons other than lack of efficacy, and a higher PSP score at baseline exhibited potential trends towards better PSP total score improvements.

CONCLUSION

Our findings may suggest that patients in acute stage, with a shorter duration of illness, with early initiation of PP1M injection, and lower PANSS or PSP scores may trend towards better clinical results when transitioning to PP1M from OAPs. Further research is necessary to validate these potential associations and identify any unexplored characteristics. Such investigations are crucial for providing comprehensive clinical recommendations and informing treatment strategies in this context.

Factors Associated with Symptom Stabilization that Allow for Successful Transition from Once-Monthly Paliperidone Palmitate to Three-Monthly Paliperidone Palmitate: A Post Hoc Analysis Examined Clinical Characteristics in Chinese Patients with Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Identifying key factors for a successful transition from once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP1M) to three-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP3M) is crucial for improving treatment outcomes, enhancing patient adherence, and reducing relapse risk in patients with schizophrenia. Providing region-specific insights for evidence-based clinical decisions can aid clinicians in optimizing transition strategies for Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, the objective of this post hoc analysis of a double-blind parallel-group multicenter phase 3 study (NCT01515423) was to identify factors related to the disease stabilization that may allow for a successful transition from PP1M to PP3M in the treatment of Chinese patients with schizophrenia.

METHODS

Adults (18-70 years) diagnosed with schizophrenia using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition text revision, for over 1 year and with a baseline Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score between 70 and 120 were entered into an open-label (OL) phase receiving PP1M for 17 weeks. After the 17-week OL phase, patients who met the criteria necessary for stabilization were randomized (1:1) to PP1M (fixed-dose, 50, 75, 100, or 150 mg eq.) or PP3M (fixed-dose, 175, 263, 350, or 525 mg eq.) in a 48-week double-blind phase. Stabilization was defined as a PANSS total score < 70, PANSS item (P1, P2, P3, P6, P7, G8, G14) scores ≤ 4, and a reduction in Clinical Global Impression Severity (CGI-S) score of ≥ 1 from OL baseline. This post hoc analysis evaluated changes and trends in symptom severity using PANSS, changes in mental states using CGI-S, and changes in personal and social functioning using Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scores from baseline to the endpoint of the OL phase in patients who either met or did not meet the stabilization criteria (stabilized versus non-stabilized group). Comparison of changes and trends in the clinical scores between the stabilized group and non-stabilized group were conducted using linear mixed model and Mann-Kendall trend analysis, respectively. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore factors associated with stabilization status for transition.

RESULTS

Of 296 patients enrolled, 210 achieved disease stabilization (106 patients and 104 patients were randomized to PP1M and PP3M, respectively). Significant downward trends in the PANSS and CGI-S scores were detected in the stabilized patients (n = 210, ZPANSS = -2.21, p = 0.028; ZCGI-S = -2.21, p = 0.028) but not in the non-stabilized patients (n = 86). No significant trends in the PSP scores were observed in either group. The factors significantly associated with disease stabilization were the CGI-S score at baseline [odds ratio (OR) = 0.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.09, 0.5), reduction of the PANSS score at week 13 (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.17), and reduction of CGI-S score at week 13 (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.03, 5.02).

CONCLUSION

A lower CGI-S total score at baseline and greater reductions in PANSS and CGI-S scores at week 13 were associated with patients achieving disease stabilization, that may allow for a successful transition. Evidence from this study indicates that better disease condition at baseline, early functional improvement and symptomatic relief were the key factors associated with disease stabilization. The findings may guide clinicians to identify suitable patients for transition from PP1M to PP3M and further optimize the use of PP3M in China.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

EudraCT number: 2011-004889-15 and ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT01515423) for the original double-blind randomized study.

The effect of early or late initiation of long-acting antipsychotics on the caregiver burden in schizophrenia

The effective treatment in the early stages of schizophrenia is of critical importance to improve the prognosis. Schizophrenia affects patients' relatives too. The effects of early or late initiation of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAI-APs) on the patient have been shown, yet their effects on the caregiver are still unknown. We aimed to determine how the time of initiation of LAI-APs affects the caregiver burden by comparing the patients who were started on LAI-APs in the first 5 years of diagnosis and those who were started at a later period. Patients were classified as 'early-LAI' and 'late-LAI' according to the time of initiation of a LAI-AP. Their caregivers were also classified as the same way, as 'caregiver-early' and 'caregiver-late' and were compared in terms of caregiver burden. The quality of life, depression, anxiety, and caregiver burden scores of the caregiver-late group were significantly worse. The time of initiation of LAI-APs and the functioning levels of the patients were found to be determinant factors for the caregiver burden. This is the first study to investigate the effects of LAI-AP's initiation time on the caregivers to our knowledge. The use of LAI-APs in the early stages is associated with better outcomes for the caregiver.

Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Treatment for Schizophrenia in Asian Population: A Scoping Review

Evidence of comparative benefits of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in Asian patients with schizophrenia has been inconsistent. This scoping review aimed to synthesize the current evidence in the past ten years and provide an overview of efficacy, safety, treatment adherence, patient attitudes, and healthcare resource utilization of LAI in this population. A systematic search was conducted with a pre-defined search strategy in six electronic databases including Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycArticles. A total of 46 studies were included, including 15 cohort studies, 13 single-arm trials, 10 randomized controlled trials, four mirror-image studies, three cross-sectional studies, and one controlled clinical trial. Paliperidone palmitate once-monthly injection (27/46) and risperidone LAI (14/46) were the most frequently investigated LAIs. Compared with oral antipsychotic medications (OAMs), LAIs demonstrated a lower rate of relapse/hospitalization and comparable improvement in efficacy. Adverse events (AEs) were similar between LAIs and OAMs, although types and incidence varied. Significant reduction in the length of hospitalization and number of outpatient visits/inpatient admission was observed after initiation of LAIs. These findings suggest that LAI demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety among Asian populations with schizophrenia in comparison to OAMs. Better adherence and lower relapse were observed in patients receiving LAIs from published evidence. Future research is warranted to better understand the comprehensive performance of LAI in specific population or context.

What factors should we modify to promote high functioning and prevent functional decline in people with schizophrenia?

Background

Since research in schizophrenia mainly focuses on deficits and risk factors, we need studies searching for high-functioning protective factors. Thus, our objective was to identify protective (PFs) and risk factors (RFs) separately associated with high (HF) and low functioning (LF) in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods

We collected information (sociodemographic, clinical, psychopathological, cognitive, and functional) from 212 outpatients with schizophrenia. Patients were classified according to their functional level (PSP) as HF (PSP > 70, n = 30) and LF (PSP ≤ 50, n = 95). Statistical analysis consisted of Chi-square test, Student's t-test, and logistic regression.

Results

HF model: variance explained: 38.4-68.8%; PF: years of education (OR = 1.227). RFs: receiving a mental disability benefit (OR = 0.062) and scores on positive (OR = 0.719), negative-expression (OR = 0.711), and negative-experiential symptoms (OR = 0.822), and verbal learning (OR = 0.866). LF model: variance explained: 42.0-56.2%; PF: none; RFs: not working (OR = 6.900), number of antipsychotics (OR = 1.910), and scores on depressive (OR = 1.212) and negative-experiential symptoms (OR = 1.167).

Conclusion

We identified specific protective and risk factors for high and low functioning in patients with schizophrenia and confirmed that high functioning factors are not necessarily the opposite of those associated with low functioning. Only negative experiential symptoms are a shared and inverse factor for high and low functioning. Mental health teams must be aware of protective and risk factors and try to enhance or reduce them, respectively, to help their patients improve or maintain their level of functioning.

Impact on carer burden when stable patients with schizophrenia transitioned from 1-monthly to 3-monthly paliperidone palmitate

RATIONALE

Reducing the frequency of long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication may reduce carer burden.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of reduced frequency of long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication on carer burden in stable patients with schizophrenia.

METHODS

Carer burden was assessed using the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire (IEQ) within a 52-week, prospective, single-arm, non-randomised, open-label, international, multicentre study evaluating the impact of transitioning stable patients with schizophrenia to paliperidone palmitate 3-monthly (PP3M) from paliperidone palmitate 1-monthly (PP1M).

RESULTS

159 carers completed the IEQ (mean [standard deviation, SD] age: 54.8 [12.8] years); 52.2% were the patients' parent and > 50% had >32 h/week of patient contact. At baseline, mean [SD] IEQ total score was in the lower range (23.8 [12.6]), reflecting patient stabilisation. At last observation carried forward (LOCF) endpoint, the IEQ total score decreased by a mean (95% CI) of -4.0 (-5.9, -2.1), indicating a significant overall reduction in carer burden (P < 0.0001). The six IEQ items with the highest carer burden at baseline were within the urging and worrying domains, in which burden was significantly improved at LOCF endpoint (P < 0.0001). Exploratory analyses found that higher carer burden was associated with lower functional remission (Personal and Social Performance score >70) at baseline and LOCF endpoint, and with the patient being part of the carer's household. Shorter disease duration correlated with better general health of carers at LOCF endpoint.

CONCLUSION

Reducing the frequency of antipsychotic medication administration in stable patients with schizophrenia by switching from PP1M to PP3M may reduce carer burden.

Early Improvement of Psychiatric Symptoms with Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Predicts Subsequent Social Functional Remission in Patients with Schizophrenia

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to clarify whether early symptomatic improvement in response to a long-acting injectable antipsychotic (LAI) contributes to subsequent social functional remission in patients with schizophrenia using the previous clinical trial data (EudraCT registration number: 2011-004889-15). Associations between other factors and social functional remission were also explored.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We analyzed 428 patients with schizophrenia in which the personal and social performance scale (PSP) and the involvement evaluation questionnaire (IEQ) at the time of the base line were recorded. Social functional remission was defined as participants who scored PSP >70 at the end of 65 weeks. Logistic regression analyses were done to examine associations between social functional remission and clinical and demographic characteristics including early symptomatic response evaluated by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at week one.

RESULTS

One hundred out of 428 patients showed social functional remission at the end of the observation period. Shorter duration of illness, higher baseline score of supervision evaluated by IEQ and higher baseline PSP were significantly associated with the social functional remission. Improvement of positive subscale of PANSS at one week was significantly associated with later social functional remission when baseline PSP scores were excluded from predictive variables.

CONCLUSION

Shorter duration of illness, residual type of schizophrenia, higher baseline score of supervision and higher baseline social functioning were predictors of subsequent social functional remission. Although its effect seems to be limited, early symptomatic improvement could be also was a predictor of social functional remission.

Association between symptom control and functional improvement in patients with acute schizophrenia: A post hoc analysis of an open-label, single-arm, multi-center study of paliperidone-extended release formulation

Both symptom control and functional improvement are important goals in schizophrenia treatment. A post hoc analysis of an 8-week, open-label, single-arm, multi-center study of paliperidone-extended release formulation was conducted to evaluate the correlation between personal/social functioning and symptom control in the acute phase, and to identify factors associated with psychosocial functioning, in patients with acute schizophrenia. Of 608 enrolled patients, 602 (99%) were included in the full analysis set. Correlation and regression analyses were applied to identify the association of Personal and Social Performance (PSP) total scores with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total scores and other factors. A significant negative correlation was observed between PSP and PANSS at all visits (week 1: r = -0.55; week 2: r = -0.79, p < 0.0001). Patients with PSP score improvement (≥10 point) showed a higher possibility of symptom improvement (PANSS reduction ≥30%). Duration of illness, PANSS Marder factors, and satisfaction with prior treatment, sleep quality, and daytime drowsiness influenced change in PSP total score at endpoint. These results suggest symptom outcome as an important factor to predict functional improvement in acute schizophrenia.