Drug attitude inventory is relevant to LAI treatment persistence in schizophrenia: Preliminary results

Abstract

Introduction

Patients’ attitudes and subjective experience are crucial in the management of severe mental illness, but their practical value is overlooked.

Objectives

To identify predictors of future adherence to LAI antipsychotic maintenance treatment of schizophrenia among socio-demographic, clinical, and psychometric characteristics – including Drug Attitude Inventory-10 (DAI-10) and Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptics short form (SWN-K) scores.

Methods

Retrospective baseline data from 53 clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia switched from oral to LAI therapy were collected. Patients continuing treatment at the time of analysis (n=29) were compared to those who had discontinued it (n=24). Selected variables were further evaluated in survival analyses.

Results

Between-group differences are presented in Table 1 (**: p<0.01; *: p<0.05).

	Continued treatment	Discontinued treatment	χ2 or t
Treatment persistence (months)	63.79±21.01	23.88±25.80	6.21**
Age (years)	39.17±10.11	35.58±13.39	1.11
Male	15 (51.7%)	13 (54.1%)	0.03
Single	20 (69.0%)	15 (62.5%)	0.25
Instruction (years)	13.28±3.31	11.83±3.56	1.53
Employed	20 (69.0%)	7 (29.2%)	8.32**
Illness duration (years)	17.69±10.53	13.42±11.36	1.42
Previous hospitalisations	2.10±1.32	2.67±1.86	-1.29
MADRS	13.59±9.06	14.67±8.99	-0.43
YMRS	5.52±5.57	6.00±9.94	-0.22
p-PANSS	12.17±5.20	14.38±6.13	-1.41
n-PANSS	10.90±5.39	15.63±7.93	-2.48*
g-PANSS	29.38±10.33	33.63±10.26	-1.49
PANSS	52.66±17.57	63.96±20.61	-2.15*
DAI-10	3.86±4.96	-1.13±5.80	3.38**
SWN-K	74.93±23.07	81.00±15.60	-1.09

Cox regression analysis included instruction, employment, hospitalisations, PANSS subscales and DAI-10 scores: a protective role against treatment discontinuation was outlined only for employment (HR 0.16; 95%CI 0.05-0.50) and higher DAI-10 scores (HR 0.85; 95%CI 0.78-0.94). DAI-10 scores delineated distinct adherence trajectories (Figure 1).

Conclusions

Baseline DAI-10 scores may identify patients at risk of dropout after switching to LAI.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.