title: Effectiveness of paliperidone extended-release for patients with schizophrenia: focus on subjective improvement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed whether the subjective experience of patients with schizophrenia improved after switching from an oral antipsychotic to flexibly-dosed paliperidone extended-release.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a 24-week, multicenter, non-comparative, open-label trial. A total of 387 patients with schizophrenia participated the study. The primary study outcome was the change in subjective symptoms measured by the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised version (SCL-90-R) from baseline. Visual analogue scales were used for sleep and daytime somnolence as secondary subjective assessments. The clinical global impression-schizophrenia-severity scale was used to assess overall symptom severity. Social functioning was evaluated by the personal and social performance scale. Adverse events were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All subjective symptoms measured by the SCL-90-R improved significantly. The early responders, who achieved >20% reduction in the SCL-90-R within 1 week, maintained significantly lower severity through the 24 weeks. The clinical global impression-schizophrenia-severity scale and personal and social performance scores also improved significantly. The visual analogue scales revealed that daytime somnolence improved significantly, whereas nocturnal sleep quality was unaltered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that switching to paliperidone extended-release was associated with improvements in various subjective symptoms, decreased overall symptom severity, and increased social functioning. The results also suggest that early detection and reduction of subjective symptoms are important for treatment outcome.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Republic of Korea.
authors: Kyoung-Sae
authors: KS
authors: Na
authors: Chul-Eung
authors: CE
authors: Kim
authors: Yong-Sik
authors: YS
authors: Kim
authors: Jong-Il
authors: JI
authors: Lee
authors: Wou Sang
authors: WS
authors: Han
authors: Ung Gu
authors: UG
authors: Kang
authors: Doo-Heum
authors: DH
authors: Park
authors: Bongseog
authors: B
authors: Kim
authors: Han-Yong
authors: HY
authors: Jung
authors: Jin-Sang
authors: JS
authors: Yoon
authors: Se-Won
authors: SW
authors: Lim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068882:Paliperidone Palmitate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D007555:Isoxazoles; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068882:Paliperidone Palmitate