Abstract
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Abstract
Year 2021
October 2021

SHBC1666

Abstract Title
Use of Antipsychotic Long-Acting Injections (LAIs): Prescription Pattern and Perceptions of Clinicians in a State Psychiatric Hospital
Authors

L.Y.A.WONG1, J.H.LAU1, S.VERMA1, J.LEE1, C.TANG1, C.T.CHAN1, S.ZHENG1, A.K.GHOSH1, B.T.NG1

Institutions

Institute of Mental Health1

Background & Hypothesis

Optimising the utilisation of antipsychotic LAIs could potentially achieve greater treatment consistency and relapse prevention in psychosis. This study examines the pattern of LAIs usage among outpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), and surveys the perceptions of IMH clinicians on offering LAIs.

Methods

A retrospective medication use evaluation was conducted on 400 randomly-selected outpatients with schizophrenia. A 23-item questionnaire was developed and conducted anonymously to explore IMH clinicians’ practice and perceptions on LAIs use.

Results

Of the outpatients, 311 (77.8%) were on oral antipsychotics only, 34 (8.5%) were on LAIs only, and 55 (13.8%) were on both. For the group on both formulations, the median (IQR) of daily chlorpromazine dose equivalence for LAIs was 75mg (50mg, 100mg). Among 69 patients with admission records 1-year before and after LAI initiation, there was a significant reduction in both median (IQR) number of admissions [1 (0, 1) vs.  0 (0, 0.5), p<0.001) and length of stay in days [14 (0, 34.5) vs. 0 (0, 1.5), p<0.001] in the year preceding versus the year post-first initiation of LAIs. Among 54 clinicians who completed the questionnaire, most (87%) felt that LAIs are less acceptable by patients. Almost all would offer LAIs to patients who are non-adherent to oral antipsychotics and have experienced a relapse, but less often in offering LAIs to non-adherent patients who never relapsed.

Discussion & Conclusion

LAIs reduced the frequency and duration of hospitalisations. Most clinicians offer LAIs to poorly-adherent patients with previous relapses.

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