Olanzapine long-acting injection: insights from an early case series in the UK

Olanzapine long-acting injection depot (OLAI) has been licensed in the UK since 2008. As a result of the recognition during clinical trials that in 0.07% of injections there may be inadvertent intravenous administration leading to post-injection delirium/sedation syndrome (PDSS), the licence mandates a 3 h observation after each injection and accompaniment of the patient to their final destination. The administration of OLAI may thus necessitate organization of local service provisions. We report on how a single healthcare facility in Northern Ireland has treated three initial patients and present a brief case series on these patients and their clinical outcomes.

In the first three patients with schizophrenia to receive OLAI, the clinical notes were retrospectively examined to provide clinical data.

All three patients had acceptable clinical outcomes showing sustained clinical improvement and have continued on OLAI for over 1 year. Observation has been undertaken within an existing daycare unit staffed by nursing staff and occupational therapists for 3 h after each injection. No issues have emerged from the use of this service that has also provided educational and psycho-educational programmes for the patients. No cases of post-injection delirium/sedation syndrome were reported. There have been no additional cost implications.

In patients for whom OLAI may be clinically indicated, the utilization of an existing service to provide the 3 h of observation after each injection may represent a solution with a cost-neutral outcome.