Long-acting injectable risperidone and oral antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia: results from a...

To explore differences in outcomes for patients with schizophrenia treated with risperidone long-acting treatment (RLAT) or oral antipsychotics (oAP).

The International Observational Registry on Schizophrenia (InORS) explored flexible doses of newly initiated RLAT and oAPs for adults with schizophrenia, exploring 6-month retrospective hospitalization data and 12-month prospective medication use, outcomes, and tolerability. Efficacy outcomes included hospitalizations, the Clinical Global Impression of Schizophrenia (CGI-SCH), and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Medication switch patterns were also analysed.

Data were analysed from 1083 patients (561 RLAT, 522 oAP). At baseline, RLAT patients had higher symptom severity, greater functional impairment, and poorer compliance. Percentages of patients hospitalized were similar between groups, and median duration per hospitalization decreased after RLAT initiation and with oAP. The difference in duration of hospitalization between the retrospective and prospective period was significantly better with RLAT (P = 0.002). Mean CGI-SCH change from baseline was significantly better for RLAT vs. oAP patients for overall, positive, and negative symptom scores (P < 0.05). Mean functional improvement from baseline was significantly higher with RLAT vs. oAP (P < 0.001).

Hospitalizations and symptomatic and functional outcomes were better with RLAT vs. oAP; frequent medication switches were associated with less favourable outcomes.