Effectiveness of Switching to Long-acting Injectable Aripiprazole in Patients with Recent-onset and Chronic Schizophrenia

Sung Wan Kim, Bong Ju Lee, Eun Jin Cheon, Seung Hee Won, Anna Jo, Jae Min Kim, Young Chul Chung

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the effectiveness of switching to once-monthly long-acting injectable (LAI) aripiprazole from other second-generation antipsychotics including LAI paliperidone palmitate in both recent-onset and chronic schizophrenia patients. Methods: This was a 24-week prospective, open-label, flexible dose-switching study in patients with schizophrenia. Scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scale, Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Subjective Well-being Under Neuroleptics−Short Form (SWN-K), and a computerized emotional recognition test (ERT) were evaluated. Subjects were divided into two groups (recent onset and chronic) based on 5 years' duration of the illness. Results: Among the 82 patients participating, 67 (81.7%) completed the 24-week study. The discontinuation rate after switching to LAI aripiprazole did not differ according to clinical characteristics including type of previous antipsychotics. Scores on the PANSS, PSP, SWN-K, CGI, and ERT were significantly improved after a switch to LAI aripiprazole without exacerbation of metabolic parameters and bodyweight. The improvements in the PANSS, PSP, and CGI scores were significantly greater in patients with recent-onset than in those with chronic schizophrenia; the improvement in metabolic parameters was significantly greater in the latter group. Conclusion: High rates of successful switching to LAI aripiprazole from other antipsychotics suggest its good tolerability and effectiveness. Improvements in psychopathology and social functioning were more evident in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia, and improvements in metabolic abnormalities were more prominent in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)57-67
Number of pages11
JournalClinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
Volume21
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2023

Keywords

  • Antipsychotic agents
  • Aripiprazole
  • Long-acting injectable
  • Recent-onset
  • Schizophrenia

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