Effectiveness of Long-acting Aripiprazole in Schizoaffective Disorders: a Naturalistic Longitudinal Study

IntroductionIntramuscular paliperidone palmitate (PP) is a long-acting, atypical antipsychotic for ntramuscular (IM) administration in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia.ObjectiveTo study efficacy and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders treated with long-acting paliperidone palmitate.MethodA non-randomized, prospective naturalistic study was performed in out-patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder unsuccessfully treated with oral antipsychotics. Efficacy of PP over time was evaluated by using BPRS 24-items (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale) Quality of life was evaluated by the QL-Index (Quality of life Index) at T0 and at most recent visit (T1).ResultsData were available for 16 outpatients consecutively prescribed PP and naturalistically treated attending at the Psychiatric Clinic, University of Sassari. Patients were predominantly male (n = 9; 56.2%), with schizophenia (n = 10; 62.5%). Three patients dropped out (18.8%). Mean time on PP treatment was 870.0 days (sd 217.02) at a mean PP maintenance dose of 97.82 ± 37.17 mg eq. BPRS mean total score at T0 was 55 (sd 14.5) and at T1 was 44.8 (sd 11.8). Ql-Index mean total score was 5 (sd 1.6) at T0 and 7.2 (sd 2.4) at T1. Paired sample test showed a statistically significant difference in deacreasing symptoms at BPRS over time (P = 0.009) and in improving Quality of life at QL-Index (P = 0.017). The analyses showed a significant improving at the following BPRS sub-items: Depression (P = 0.021), Hostility (P = 0.022), Suspiciousness (P = 0.005), Hallucinations (P = 0.050), Unusual thought content (P = 0.029), Self-neglet (P = 0.028), Conceptual disorganization (P = 0.044), Emotional withdrawal (P = 0.028) and Distractibility (P = 0.014).Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Patients in the early phases of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders effectively treated with risperidone long-acting injectable

Journal of Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1177/0269881105056513 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 19 (5_suppl) ◽

pp. 5-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

E. Parellada ◽

R. Andrezina ◽

V. Milanova ◽

P. Glue ◽

M. Masiak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Symptom Improvement ◽

Treatment Change ◽

Open Label ◽

Schizoaffective Disorders ◽

Direct Initiation ◽

Syndrome Scale ◽

Previous Medication ◽

Long Acting ◽

Negative Syndrome ◽

Early Phases

The efficacy and safety of risperidone long-acting injectable (RLAI) was investigated in patients in the early phases of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders (≤ 3 years). Patients who required a treatment change received RLAI (2-weekly gluteal injections of 25, 37.5 or 50mg, per clinical judgement), without an oral risperidone run-in phase. A total of 382 patients were included in this 6-month open-label study; 73% of patients completed the study. A total of 84% had schizophrenia with a median duration of 1.0 year since diagnosis. Previous medications were mainly atypical antipsychotics (70%) and depot neuroleptics (24%). The main reasons for treatment change were non-compliance (42%) and insufficient efficacy (31%) of previous medication. The total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and all its subscale scores improved significantly (p ≤ 0.0001), with 40% of patients showing a 20% improvement on total PANSS. Global Assessment of Functioning, quality of life, patient satisfaction and movement disorders also improved significantly. Tolerability of RLAI was generally good and no unexpected adverse events were reported. The ensured delivery of medication with RLAI resulted in significant symptom improvement in this patient population. Direct initiation of RLAI is well accepted by patients. RLAI might represent a novel option for patients in the early phases of psychosis.

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