REMISSION AND EMPLOYMENT STATUS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA AND OTHER PSYCHOSES: ONE-YEAR PROSPECTIVE STUDY IN CROATIAN PATIENTS TREATED WITH RISPERIDONE LONG ACTING INJECTION
Background: While numerous studies have confirmed the efficacy of risperidone long-acting injectable (RLAI) on many clinical
outcomes in patients with schizophrenia, there is no data regarding its influence on employment status.
Subject and methods: This was a 12-month observational study with flexible doses of RLAI on a Croatian population of patients
with schizophrenia and other psychoses. Visits were at baseline and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. Treatment response
was evaluated using Clinical Global Impression of Illness Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) scales, while remission was
defined by 8 items of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Employment status was determined at baseline and at study
endpoint.
Results: A total of 362 patients were included, with a median age of 37 (interquartile range 29-47) years, 63.5 % were males and
67.4% were hospitalised at baseline. Overall 258 (71.3%) patients completed the study. Improvements in CGI-S scores from baseline
were significant (p<0.001) at all visits. Remission criteria were met in 9 (2.5%) patients at baseline, and in 199 (54.9%) at endpoint,
while 144 patients (52.7%) achieved symptomatic remission. Female patients were five times more likely to achieve symptomatic
remission (OR=5.2; 95%CI=2.64-10.19). At baseline, 74/362 (20.4%) patients were employed, compared to 77/257 (30.0%) at
endpoint (p<0.001). Adverse events were spontaneously reported in 55 (15.2%) patients. Three patients died (judged not to be
related to RLAI) and one patient committed homicide.
Conclusions: Patients treated with RLAI had significant improvements in CGI-S scale scores, hospitalization status, rates of
remission and employment status, indicating the benefits of continuous treatment over time. Further studies on the comparative
impact of different treatment strategies on functional recovery are needed
