title: Schizophrenia-spectrum patients treated with long-acting injectable risperidone in real-life clinical settings: functional recovery in remitted versus stable, non-remitted patients (the EVeREST prospective observational cohort study).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies showed functional improvement in stable patients with schizophrenia treated with risperidone long-acting injection (LAI). We therefore re-investigated functional improvement with risperidone LAI in remitted patients, in comparison with stable patients. The study was conducted in real-life conditions because of the high heterogeneity of the patients' situations.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a multi-centre, prospective observational cohort study involving adult schizophrenia-spectrum chronic patients who were previously treated with risperidone LAI for 6 months. Remission was evaluated using the consensus criteria proposed by the Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group (RSWG). The primary endpoint was global functioning (assessed with the Global Assessment of Functioning scale, GAF) after one year of treatment. Social functioning was a secondary outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis included 1490 patients. Attrition rate was 9.1 % at the end of the study. 27.7 % of patients were in remission after one year of risperidone LAI treatment. The mean GAF rating score (62.5 ± 1.5) was higher than the cut-off previously used to identify patients with satisfactory functioning (60) and significantly higher than the mean GAF score in stable, non-remitted patients (48.3, p < 0.001). Social functioning was also high in remitted patients (21.0 ± 3.6 vs. 17.2 ± 3.7 in non-remitted patients, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results clearly show that after one year of treatment with risperidone LAI, RSWG-remitted patients have a high level of global functioning, which is significantly higher than in stable, non-remitted patients. Social functioning was also higher in remitted patients as compared with stable, non-remitted patients.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Center of Saint-Egrève, Saint-Egrève, France. egiraudbaro@orange.fr.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giraud-Baro
authors.affiliation: CHU La Timone, Marseilles, France. Daniel.DASSA@ap-hm.fr.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dassa
authors.affiliation: INSERM U1018, Institute Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France. florent.DEVATHAIRE@gustaveroussy.fr.
authors.forename: Florent
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Vathaire
authors.affiliation: Craven, Villemoisson-sur-Orge, France. ricardo.garay@orange.fr.
authors.forename: Ricardo P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Garay
authors.affiliation: Janssen-Cilag France, Issy Les Moulineaux, France. jobeid@its.jnj.com.
authors.forename: Joelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Obeid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012074:Remission Induction; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D018967:Risperidone