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Efficacy and safety of long‐acting risperidone in elderly patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder
Author(s) -
Lasser Robert A.,
Bossie Cynthia A.,
Zhu Young,
Gharabawi Georges,
Eerdekens Mariëlle,
Davidson Michael
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.1184
Subject(s) - risperidone , extrapyramidal symptoms , positive and negative syndrome scale , schizoaffective disorder , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , medicine , psychiatry , antipsychotic , depression (economics) , akathisia , psychology , psychosis , economics , macroeconomics
Background Elderly patients are often an underserved population in terms of optimizing treatment outcomes. Long‐acting risperidone, the first long‐acting injectable atypical antipsychotic, can improve outcomes through continuous medication delivery. Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of long‐acting injectable risperidone in elderly patients with psychotic disorders. Methods This is a subanalysis of 57 patients aged ≥65 years enrolled in an open‐label study of long‐acting risperidone that included 725 symptomatically stable patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Patients were assigned to receive 25, 50, or 75 mg of long‐acting risperidone every 2 weeks for up to 50 weeks. Results Fifty‐seven elderly patients (mean ± SE age, 70.9 ± 0.7 years) were enrolled. Mean Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total scores improved significantly throughout the study and at endpoint ( p < 0.001). The PANSS factor scores (positive symptoms, negative symptoms, disorganized thoughts, uncontrolled hostility/excitement, and anxiety/depression) also significantly improved ( p < 0.01). Clinical improvement (≥20% reduction in PANSS total scores) was achieved by 49% of these stable patients, and 55% improved on the Clinical Global Impressions scale. Severity of movement disorders (Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale scores) was reduced significantly. Adverse events reported in >10% of patients were insomnia (14%), constipation (12%), and bronchitis (12%). Conclusions Long‐acting risperidone was associated with significant symptom improvements in stable elderly patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Treatment was well tolerated. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.