Does Risperidone Long Acting Injectable Depot (RLAI) Reduce number of Admissions to Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to treatment is a major issue in relapse prevention in schizophrenia. Injectable depot has been claimed to improve non-adherence. A study in the North of England has shown that risperidone long acting injectable form has reduced number of admissions and number of days stayed in hospital. Our study aimed to replicate the previous study in the South of England.

METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in the South Essex Foundation University NHS trust. We selected every fifth patient on the Hospital Pharmacy list for risperidone long acting injectable (RLAI). We collected information on. Age, sex, diagnosis and medication ,regular follow up, investigation of each patient which included weight, FBS, S. lipid and hormones at the start of treatment, at three months and six months intervals. We recorded reasons for starting RLAI. Number of antipsychotics prescribed before RLAI, illness duration, number of admissions and days stayed in hospital in each episode before and after RLAI. Patients were included if they stayed for one year or on RLAI.

RESULTS: We reviewed 65 case notes. The most common reason for starting RLAI was non compliance. 80% of our sample had the illness for more than five years. Half of them had physical morbidity. After RLAI was commenced there was a significant association with number and length of admissions.

CONCLUSIONS: We have found an association between prescription of RLAI and reduction in number and length of admission. This needs to be confirmed in a randomised controlled trial.