The Paliperidone ER Observational Study of Economic, Functional, and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Schizophrenia

Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC43 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to examine the long-term economic, functional and clinical outcomes in schizophrenia patients who require a change in antipsychotic treatment, and are changed to either paliperidone extended release (ER) or another oral atypical antipsychotic agent (AAP) including aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, or ziprasidone.

This is a 12-month, retrospective (a study that looks backward in time, usually using medical records and interviews with patients who are already known to have a disease)/prospective (a study in which the patients are identified and then followed forward in time for the outcome of the study), open-label (all people involved know the identity of the assigned drug) study of clinical, functional and economic outcomes in schizophrenia patients who require a change in antipsychotic treatment. The patients will be randomly (study drug assigned by chance like flipping a coin) assigned to receive either paliperidone extended release (ER) or one of two other prescriber-selected oral atypical antipsychotic (AAPs). The AAPs include aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, or ziprasidone. Baseline will be defined as the time when the patient begins to take paliperidone ER or the other AAP. The study has a "pre/post" design in which paliperidone ER patients serve as their own controls for the analyses of healthcare utilization. If a potential patient needs to switch from their current antipsychotic medication they are eligible for this study. The investigator will determine that the patient may benefit equally from switching to either paliperidone ER (extended release) or to either of 2 other antipsychotics. Healthcare use over the 12-month period prior to baseline (the "pre-period") will be compared to the 12-month period following the start of paliperidone ER or other AAP (the "post-period"). Data for both periods will be obtained by study investigators from enrolled patients' medical charts. Patients will continue to be followed in the study, regardless of change in treatment, until visit 5 at month 12 or if withdrawn from the study. All patients will receive medical care consistent with local medical practices.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Schizophrenia

Interventions

Paliperidone ERDRUG

Route = oral. Paliperidone ER will be prescribed to the patients at the investigator's discretion. Patient receive their medication according to usual care in their treatment setting ie, no study drug is provided

Atypical antipsychotics (AAP)DRUG

Route = oral. AAP including quetiapine, risperidone, olanzapine, ziprasidone or aripiprazole. Dosage and administration of antipsychotics will be prescribed at the investigator's discretion

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Must have a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia for at least 1 year prior to screening * Had been receiving treatment with antipsychotics, but is judged to be a candidate for changing antipsychotic on the basis of either persistent symptoms or continuing side effects * Treating physician has determined, before the patient enters the study, that starting paliperidone extended release (ER) or another of at least two possible atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) is an appropriate treatment for the patient * Likely to be managed as outpatient * Must have signed the informed consent form for DNA pharmacogenomic Exclusion Criteria: * Have mental retardation, dementia, bipolar, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disease, other Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) psychiatric disorders or deteriorating neurological illnesses as determined by clinical evaluation * Established treatment-resistant schizophrenia, defined as those who have had treatment failures with adequate trials of two second generation atypicals, previous treatment with clozapine, or 4 or more hospitalizations in the last 12 months * History of recent violence or at immediate risk of suicide, or harming self or others, or of causing damage to property, in the judgment of the investigator * Patients who are unable to swallow the medication whole * History or circumstances that may increase the risk of occurrence of torsade de pointes and/or sudden death in association with the use of drugs that prolong the QTc interval, including bradycardia, hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia, concomitant use of drugs that prolong the QTc interval, or presence of congenital long QT syndrome * Pregnant (as confirmed by urine pregnancy test performed at baseline), planning to become pregnant, or breast-feeding.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Changes in the yearly rate of hospital admissions before and after treatment with paliperidone extended release (ER)

The baseline is referred to month 0; Baseline is the time when patients are initiated on paliperidone ER or on any other oral atypical antipsychotics \[AAP\]).

Time frame: 12 months before and post baseline

Secondary Outcomes

Change from baseline in Clinical Global Impression of the severity (CGI-S) scale

This scale measures global severity of illness at a given point in time. Treating physician rates the severity of a patients condition on a seven-point scale ranging from 1 (no symptoms) to 7 (very severe).

Time frame: Baseline to Month 12

Change from baseline in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)

This is a 30-item scale that was designed to assess various symptoms of schizophrenia including delusions, grandiosity, blunted affect, poor attention, and poor impulse control. The 30 symptoms are rated on a 7-point scale that ranges from 1 (absent) to 7 (extreme psychopathology).

Time frame: Baseline to Month 12

Change from baseline in Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP and SF-36)

The PSP is a clinician-based rating instrument providing an overall rating of personal and social functioning in psychiatric patients on a scale of 0 (grossly impaired functioning) to 100 (excellent functioning).

Time frame: Baseline to Month 12

Change from baseline in Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS)

It is a measure of basic functional and cognitive skills of individuals that was developed and validated for use in severe and persistent mental illness including schizophrenia. These include taking care of one's personal appearance, money, possessions, residence, and health; finding and keeping a job and interacting with others.

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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