P0260 - Hospitalizations and compliance among schizophrenic patients in treatment with clozapine

Abstract

Objectives:

Demostrate that clozapine decrease the number of hospitalizations, and improve the adherence to treatment.

The sample consisted of 36 schizophrenia patients who were in treatment with a typical and atypical neuroleptic and then had their medication changed to clozapine. We ascertained the number of inpatient hospitalizations before starting clozapine and compared this with the number of hospitalizations after starting clozapine. We also followed an age- and gender-matched comparison group of other schizophrenia patients who were at treatment approximately the same time. Results indicate that the mean number of rehospitalizations while on other neuroleptic was bigger than after the commencement of clozapine treatment. The decrease in hospitalization rate for the comparison group was also statistically significant. The pre-post change was much greater for the clozapine patients than comparison patients. A 2 x 2 repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) contrasting the comparison group to the clozapine patients both before and after the index date indicates a significant time by group interaction, thus documenting the greater relative decrease in rehospitalization rate in the clozapine gr.

We also used a compliance scale pre and post-begining of treatment with clozapine for evaluate the adherence to treatment. Clozapine improve the compliance of treatment, in comparison to the neuroleptics that patient has taken before.

Conclusions:

the clozapine seems to be more effective than other antipsychotics in decrease the risk of hospitalizations, and improve the adherence to treatment