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. 2021 Apr-Jun;47(2):237-248.
doi: 10.12865/CHSJ.47.02.14. Epub 2021 Jun 30.

The Effect of Switching to Long-Acting Injection (LAI) Antipsychotic Therapy on Patients with Schizophrenia

Livia Mihaela Strunoiu  1 , Mircea Mihai Duţescu  2 , Cristian Marian Strunoiu  3 , Dragoş Ovidiu Alexandru  4 , Mihail Cristian Pîrlog  5 , Andrei Adrian Tica  6
Affiliations

The Effect of Switching to Long-Acting Injection (LAI) Antipsychotic Therapy on Patients with Schizophrenia

Livia Mihaela Strunoiu et al. Curr Health Sci J. 2021 Apr-Jun.

Abstract

Material and method: We analyzed 362 patients with schizophrenia admitted during 2016 in an acute psychiatric ward and in a chronic psychiatric ward, diagnosed with paranoid or other schizophrenia, according to DSM-IV-TR, which, after remission of the symptoms of the acute episode, they benefited from antipsychotic therapy only in oral formulation. For some of these patients we instituted maintenance therapy with depot formulas. Patients were followed for up to two years.

Results: Comparing the level of adherence to therapy, we found a statistically significant improvement, from 42.96% to 76.30%. Although we estimate that adherence to LAI therapy is over 90%, almost a quarter of patients have given up this type of treatment at some point due to side effects. Carrying out the comparative analysis of the number of hospitalizations per year, from the past and from the follow-up period, as well as of the scores registered at the scales used (PANSS, CGI, GAS, WHOQOL), in dynamics, we demonstrated the appearance of statistically significant changes.

Conclusions: the administration of antipsychotic therapy through LAI-type depot formulas can improve the therapeutic adherence of the patient with schizophrenia, thus improving the evolution of the disease and the quality of life.

Keywords: LAI; PANSS; Schizophrenia; WHOQOL; antipsychotic therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

None to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Types of antipsychotics used in LAI therapy
Figure 2
Figure 2
The distribution by sex and area of residence for the LAI group
Figure 3
Figure 3
The age distribution for the LAI group
Figure 4
Figure 4
Distribution according to the number of previous admissions per year
Figure 5
Figure 5
Adverse effects recorded after LAI therapy
Figure 6
Figure 6
Comparison of the number of admissions per year before and after LAI therapy
Figure 7
Figure 7
Comparison of total PANSS score before and after LAI therapy
Figure 8
Figure 8
Comparison of the domains of the PANSS score before and after LAI therapy
Figure 9
Figure 9
Comparison of total WHOQOL score before and after LAI therapy
Figure 10
Figure 10
Comparison of the domains of the WHOQOL score before and after LAI therapy
Figure 11
Figure 11
Comparison of CGI-S score before and after LAI therapy
Figure 12
Figure 12
Distribution of CGI-I score after LAI therapy
Figure 13
Figure 13
Comparison of GAFS score before and after LAI therapy
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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