This 2 year, prospective, observational study showed that, compared to oral antipsychotics, RLAI was associated with better treatment retention, greater improvement in clinical symptoms and functioning, and greater reduction in hospital stays and days in hospital in patients with schizophrenia. Improved treatment adherence, increased efficacy and reduced hospitalization with RLAI offer the opportunity of substantial therapeutic improvement in schizophrenia.

Treatment with long-acting injectable risperidone compared with previous antipsychotic medications resulted in a higher number of patients not requiring hospitalization, not relapsing, and not requiring hospitalization and not showing relapse, resulting in risperidone being more cost effective per month per patient.It is important to note that real-world variations in adherence would automatically be controlled from within a randomized control trial, and hence, any evaluation of variations in adherence inevitably requires a real-world focus. On the basis of these findings, which were obtained in real-world clinical practice, long-acting injectable risperidone is predicted to be the dominant strategy because it results in effective symptom control and direct medical cost savings. However, because of limitations in methodology, any conclusions should, at this stage, be treated as tentative, and confirmation in more detailed follow-up studies is required. Cost-effectiveness comparisons based on experimental evaluations of relapse minimization strategies are also required. In order to avoid estimation biases in the future, a prospectively designed study is needed.

Insight significantly predicted the general clinical course, treatment adherence and functional outcome in our FEP sample after 1 year. Only education additionally accounted for the longitudinal course. Since our results suggest that better insight improves treatment adherence and consequently clinical course and functional outcome, insight could be a specific target of treatment in early intervention programs.

As part of a long-term management strategy aimed at improving treatment adherence in schizophrenic patients, RLAI was prescribed to a wide spectrum of patients with an acute episode of schizophrenia during hospitalization and at the time of discharge from emergency/acute care facilities. RLAI was well tolerated in the study population and the overall impression of patients, primary caregivers and relatives to RLAI therapy was positive.

Aim: To assess the degree of compliance and adherence to treatment during the follow-up of schizophrenic outpatients after a new therapeutic strategy had been initiated.Methods: A multicenter, retrospective, prospective, observational study of 1,848 outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria) was conducted. Patients were treated either with oral or injectable conventional or second generation antipsychotics, and were followed up for 3 months at mental health centers. Patient compliance with the pharmacological treatment was assessed by the use of questionnaires, scales, medication accountability, and the Medication Event Monitoring System. Patients were considered compliant if they reported a high compliance rate (≥80%).Results: At baseline only 29% of patients on oral medication were compliant compared with 79% of patients on injectable medication (injection counting) (OR= 9.11; 95% CI 6.02-13.77; P<.0001). At the 3 month visit, 84% of patients had changed their treatment and in these, the compliance rate of those on injectable medication was 94% versus 87% of patients taking oral medication (OR= 2.47; 95% CI 1.21-5.05; P=.022).Conclusion: The use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics, which improves compliance rates and patient follow-up, should facilitate the management of Spanish patients with schizophrenia in mental health centers.