Time to discontinuation of depot and oral first-generation antipsychotics in the usual care of schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared the time to discontinuation for any reason of first-generation antipsychotics--in oral versus depot formulation--in the usual care of schizophrenia.


METHODS
This study used data from a three-year, prospective, nonrandomized, noninterventional, multisite study of schizophrenia. Participants initiated on oral haloperidol or fluphenazine (N=202) were compared with those initiated on haloperidol or fluphenazine in depot formulation (N=97) on time to all-cause discontinuation for one year after initiation, by using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, a Cox proportional hazards regression model, and propensity score-adjusted bootstrap resampling methods.


RESULTS
Compared with participants treated with the oral formulation, those treated with depot first-generation antipsychotics had a significantly longer mean time to all-cause medication discontinuation and were twice as likely to stay on the medication.


CONCLUSIONS
In the usual care of schizophrenia, treatment with first-generation antipsychotics in depot formulation appears to be associated with longer time to all-cause medication discontinuation compared with oral formulation of the same medication.
Zhu
Baojin
B
Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center Drop 4133, Indianapolis, IN 46285, USA.
Ascher-Svanum
Haya
H
Shi
Lizheng
L
Faries
Douglas
D
Montgomery
William
W
Marder
Stephen R
SR
D000284:Administration, Oral; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005476:Fluphenazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D006220:Haloperidol; D005476:Fluphenazine