Decreased Incidence of Readmission in First Episode Psychosis in Treatment with Long – Acting Injectable Antipsychotics

Abstract

Introduction

Some studies have shown that more than 40% of patients with first episode psychosis (FEP) are nonadherent and treatment with long – acting antipsychotics (LAIs) could increase their compliance. However, studies on efficacy of LAIs versus oral antipsychotics for preventing relapse among schizophrenia patients have produced conflicting results.

Objectives

With this study we want to asses if patients with FEP in treatment with LAIs have a decreased incidence of readmission compared with patients in treatment with oral antipsychotics over 6 month follow – up.

Methods

188 FEP patients were consecutively admitted to Hospital del Mar since January 2008 to September 2014. The included evaluation was, among others: sociodemographic data, duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), diagnosis, substance use and clinical data at baseline. Later, antipsychotic treatment and number of admissions and of emergencies over 6 months were also recorded. We studied difference sin readmission, number of emergencies between patients on LAI and oral treatment.

Results

We found a significative decreased incidence of readmission (p=0,000) and a lower number of emergencies (p=0,017) in the group of FEP patients treated with LAIs versus the group treated with oral antipsychotics.

Conclusions

In our sample, treatment with LAIs is associated with a reduced readmission rate and a lower number of emergencies in patients with FEP. This finding are agree with the results of other studies that show a significantly reduced relapse and a lowest risk of rehospitalization in FEP patients treated with LAIs.