Health-Care Utilisation and Costs of Transition from Paliperidone Palmitate 1-Monthly to 3-Monthly Treatment for Schizophrenia: A Real-World, Retrospective, 24-Month Mirror-Image Study

Introduction: Poor adherence to antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia is a leading cause of relapse and functional deterioration. Long-acting injectable paliperidone may reduce relapse risks, health-care utilisation, and health-care costs in these patients.

Methods: In this 24-month mirror-image study, we compared health-care utilization and costs before and after the initiation of paliperidone palmitate 3-monthly (PP3M) treatment in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Before the initiation of PP3M, the patients received paliperidone 1-monthly (PP1M) treatment. The primary study outcomes were changes in health-care utilisation and costs over the study period.

Results: This study included 34 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. During the 12-months period after the initiation of PP3M treatment, the mean duration of hospitalisation decreased from 57.7 to 28.5 days (p = 0.03). Moreover, significant reductions were noted in emergency room visits (PP1M vs PP3M: 0.3 vs 0.0, respectively; p = 0.05) and health-care costs (PP1M vs PP3M: 107,328.8 vs 57,848.6, respectively; p = 0.03).

Conclusion: PP3M may significantly reduce hospitalisation duration, emergency room visits, and health-care costs in patients with schizophrenia.