title: Initiating long-acting injectable antipsychotics during acute admission for patients with schizophrenia--A 3-year follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The debate on whether long-acting injectable antipsychotic (LAIA) medication is superior to oral medication, in preventing rehospitalization of patients with schizophrenia, remains inconclusive. We compared rehospitalization rates over 3 years following discharge from an acute admission, in which patients either began using LAIAs regularly for the first time, or continued to use oral antipsychotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective observational study of 92 inpatients with schizophrenia from a university-based medical center during 2004-2008. The primary outcome measure is the rehospitalization rates between groups, as estimated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen of 47 (38.3%) LAIA patients, and 16 of 45 (35.6%) oral medication patients were rehospitalized (average time to rehospitalization, 378 ± 262 vs. 378 ± 340 days; p = 0.997). The estimated cumulative rates of rehospitalization were similar between groups. The overall odds comparing the LAIA to the oral medication group were 1.085 ± 0.373 (95% confidence interval: 0.553-2.13, p = 0.813). Compared to the oral medication group, the LAIA group had fewer coded with sufficient previous treatment response (32% vs. 69%, p < 0.001), more poorly compliant (91% vs. 56%, p < 0.001), and a slightly longer length of stay at index admission (32.7 ± 11.3vs. 27.6 ± 12.1, p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Initiating LAIAs during admission for an acute psychotic episode, to a group of patients with an inadequate previous treatment response and poorer compliance, might keep their rehospitalization rates to the level of their oral antipsychotic medication treated counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: chchiu@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chen-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Cathy General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jia-Chi
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shao-Chien
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzung-Jeng
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: compliance; long-acting injectable antipsychotic; rehospitalization; schizophrenia