Effectiveness and Quality of Life with Paliperidone Palmitate 3-Monthly in Comparison with Other Long-Acting Drugs

• Published in: Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment Vol. 18; pp. 829 - 846
• Main Authors: Di Lorenzo, Rosaria, Iorio, Anita, Pinelli, Margherita, Magarini, Federica, Marchi, Mattia, Sacchetti, Andrea, Calogero, Chiara, Galeazzi, Gian Maria, Ferri, Paola, Rovesti, Sergio, Minarini, Alessandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2022; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: antipsychotic long-acting injections; Care and treatment; Diagnosis; Evaluation; Health aspects; health satisfaction; Original Research; Patient compliance; Psychological aspects; Quality of life; relapses; Risk factors; Schizophrenia; schizophrenia spectrum disorders; Italy; health satisfaction; relapses; quality of life; schizophrenia spectrum disorders; antipsychotic long-acting injections
• ISSN: 1176-6328; 1178-2021; 1178-2021
• DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S356341

Antipsychotic long-acting injections (AP-LAIs) are indicated for patients affected by schizophrenia especially those with poor treatment adherence. To compare paliperidone palmitate 3-monthly (PP3M), paliperidone palmitate one-monthly (PP1M) and haloperidol decanoate (HAL-D) treatment, we enrolled 90 patients with schizophrenia treated in Mental Health Center with one of the three AP-LAIs for at least six months and followed them for another 6 months. At 6 and 12 months of treatment we administered Clinical Global Impression-Severity, Global Assessment of Functioning and World Health Organization Quality of Life-26 items (WHOQOL-BREF). At 1-year treatment, we evaluated relapses (psychiatric hospitalizations and urgent consultations), side effects and drop-outs. We did not highlight any statistically significant difference among the three treatments in relapses and scale scores. Weight increase was significantly higher in PP1M and PP3M groups. Twelve patients (13.3%) discontinued AP-LAI. At 1-year AP-LAI treatment, 69% of patients rated quality of life as "good" or "very good" and 71% declared themselves to be "satisfied" or "very satisfied". HAL-D, PP1M and PP3M 1-year treatments were similarly effective in preventing relapses and improving quality of life and health satisfaction. All discontinuations in the new 3-monthly antipsychotic treatment were caused by patient refusal to continue it.