Switching stable patients with schizophrenia from depot and oral antipsychotics to long-acting injectable risperidone: efficacy, quality of life and functional outcome.

OBJECTIVE

This international, non-randomised study evaluated maintained efficacy and safety of Risperidone Long-Acting Injectable (RLAI) compared to previous medications. To investigate the possible effect of differences in national health care systems across Europe, the UK subset efficacy, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functioning data are reported here.

METHODS

Patients with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, symptomatically stable on antipsychotic medication, received intramuscular injections of RLAI 25 mg (to a maximum of 50 mg) every 2 weeks for 6 months.

RESULTS

Of 182 UK patients recruited; 79% had schizophrenia (87% paranoid), 21% other psychotic disorders; 96% had been hospitalised at sometime. Improvement in mean Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score was significant at 1 month through to endpoint (p = 0.0001). There were significant improvements in PANSS subscales (p <or= 0.001), PANSS-Marder subscores (p <or= 0.0391), and in Clinical Global Impression-Severity (p = 0.0001) at endpoint. Patients reported improvements in: HRQoL (p < 0.05), Global Assessment of Functioning (p = 0.0001) and patient satisfaction (p = 0.0001) at endpoint. The proportion of patients rating RLAI treatment as 'very good' increased from 10% to 40%. 55% (22/40) of patients hospitalised at baseline were discharged by endpoint.

CONCLUSION

Sustained, significant improvement in symptom control, HRQoL and functioning was seen in stable patients treated with RLAI over 6 months following a switch from previous antipsychotic medications.