aLAIs a Useful Treatment Option for Schizophrenia, Study Results Underscore

Atypical long-acting injectable (aLAI) antipsychotic medications are useful for the treatment of schizophrenia, especially in patients who experienced persistent psychotic symptoms and had trouble maintaining consistent adherence.

This finding from the Observational Study of Long-Acting Injectable Medications in Schizophrenia (OASIS) was presented via poster at Psych Congress 2023 by author Dawn Velligan, PhD, professor, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The prospective, observational study was sponsored by Alkermes, Inc.

“Atypical long-acting injectable (aLAI) antipsychotics are associated with reduced risk of relapse and hospitalization but may be underutilized in the treatment of schizophrenia,” Dr Velligan noted in the introduction.

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OASIS included 277 adult participants with schizophrenia who had recently initiated treatment with 1 of 4 aLAI antipsychotics (aripiprazole lauroxil, aripiprazole monohydrate, paliperidone palmitate, or risperidone microspheres). Patients were evaluated for 12 months through routine follow-up on reasons for treatment initiation, duration of use, and rates of switching and/or discontinuation.

Of the patients included in the study, 130 (46.9%) fulfilled 12 months of follow-up. The most common reasons for starting aLAI antipsychotic treatment were experience of persistent psychotic symptoms and adherence challenges. The average treatment duration time was 210.0 (SD=145.3) days (median=200). Overall, 73.7% stayed on the same aLAI antipsychotic initiated at enrollment; 8.7% switched to a new aLAI; and 9.4% switched to an oral antipsychotic. Most visits were conducted in person, and of those visits, most were a scheduled appointment rather than a crisis visit.

“Treatment patterns in OASIS were broadly consistent with other observational studies,” concluded Dr Velligan. “The proportion of patients remaining on their index aLAI antipsychotic, frequency of in-person visits, and relatively low number of crisis visits reinforce the utility of aLAI antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia.”

Reference

Velligan D. Treatment patterns from OASIS: Observational study of long-acting injectables in schizophrenia. Poster presented at: Psych Congress; September 6-10, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee.