Role of oral versus long-acting, second-generation medications for enhancing adherence and preventing rehospitalization in patients with schizophrenia

الملخص EN

As psychopathology and social functioning can worsen with repeated psychotic episodes, relapse prevention is critical in schizophrenia and because non-adherence decreases response to pharmacotherapy, the use of long-acting, injectable (LAI) antipsychotics is considered an important treatment option.

Aims : the current study aims to assess the experience of adherence and rehospitalization in patients with schizophrenia who receive second-generation, oral or long-acting injectable antipsychotics following hospital discharge.

Method : a prospective comparative study was carried out from April 2018 to march 2019 in an outpatient psychiatry clinic in Ismailia, Egypt.

in total, 70 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were recruited ; ages ranged from 18 to 40 years; and all were allocated to one of two groups.

group a consisted of 35 patients maintained on oral, second-generation antipsychotic (SGA).

group b consisted of 35 patients maintained on long-acting injection second generation antipsychotic.

patients were followed up for one year to assess adherence, discontinuation and rehospitalization.

results : patients on long-acting, second generation antipsychotic injection (LAAI) were more adherent and required fewer rehospitalizations than those on oral, second-generation antipsychotics (OAP).

conclusion : long-acting antipsychotic injections may have a role in enhancing medication adherence for patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and may also decrease the need for hospitalization.