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Updated: Jan 20, 2026
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Methods for Studying the Mechanisms of Action of Antipsychotic Drugs in Caenorhabditis elegans
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Long-Acting Injectables Versus Oral Antipsychotics: A Retrospective Bidirectional Mirror-Image Study
Gentaro Miura1,2, Fuminari Misawa3, Yuko Kawade4
1From the Oizumi Hospital.
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
|August 16, 2019
Summary
Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) demonstrated superior real-world effectiveness compared to oral antipsychotics (OAPs) in reducing hospitalizations for schizophrenia patients. This bidirectional mirror-image study highlights LAIs
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Real-world evidence studies
Background:
- Mirror-image studies assess treatment impact by comparing periods before and after introduction.
- Previous studies on long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) were often unidirectional, limiting real-world applicability.
- Bidirectional mirror-image studies offer a more comprehensive comparison of different antipsychotic formulations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a bidirectional mirror-image study comparing the real-world effectiveness of LAIs and oral antipsychotics (OAPs).
- To evaluate treatment outcomes in patients switching between LAIs and OAPs.
Main Methods:
- Included 126 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder from 3 psychiatric hospitals.
- Compared 6-month periods of LAI treatment versus OAP treatment in a bidirectional design.
- Primary outcome: number of hospitalizations; Secondary outcomes: total and mean duration of hospitalization.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in outcomes when switching from LAIs to OAPs (n=59).
- Significant reduction in hospitalizations and shorter stays when switching from OAPs to LAIs (n=67).
- Overall bidirectional analysis indicated LAI superiority in reducing hospitalizations.
Conclusions:
- LAIs demonstrate relative effectiveness over OAPs in real-world clinical practice.
- Findings support the use of LAIs for improved patient outcomes.
- Acknowledged limitations of mirror-image studies, including potential expectation bias.
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