Long-term treatment with long-acting risperidone in Korean patients with schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the efficacy and safety of long-acting risperidone for 48-week period in Korean patients.


METHODS
This was a non-randomized, open-label, single-centered, 48-week study. Each of the participants visited the hospital every 2 weeks, and injections were given at each visit. Complete evaluations were done on five occasions (baseline, 12, 24, 36, 48 weeks). We used Clinical Global Impression, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning, Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic treatment scale and Short-form-36 health survey. Drug attitude inventory and Drug Induced Extra-Pyramidal Symptoms Scale were also used.


RESULTS
Forty patients were enrolled, and twenty-five patients completed this study. The therapeutic response rate was 36.1% in LOCF and 48% in completer's analysis. Scores on CGI, PANSS subscales and total were significantly decreased over 48-week period. Scores on other assessments did not show any significant changes over the period. At weeks 48, there was no significant difference in the changes of scores from baseline on self-rated assessments between the clinical improvement and non-improvement groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed significant improvement of investigator-rated psychiatric symptoms in long-term follow-up using long-acting risperidone. Further researches would be required to find out the effects of the psychiatric symptom improvements on overall changes in perceived functioning and well-being.
Lee
Moon-Soo
MS
Department of Psychiatry, Korea University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ko
Young-Hoon
YH
Lee
Sang-Hoon
SH
Seo
Yong-Jin
YJ
Kim
Seung-Hyun
SH
Joe
Sook-Haeng
SH
Han
Chang-Su
CS
Lee
Jung-Ho
JH
Jung
In-Kwa
IK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018967:Risperidone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D018967:Risperidone