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Survey on the initiation of aripiprazole once-monthly via a two-injection start in adult patients with schizophrenia: experience of European healthcare professionals
Introduction
Aripiprazole once-monthly 400 mg (AOM 400) is a long-acting injectable (LAI) for the maintenance treatment of adults with schizophrenia. The AOM 400 two-injection start initiation regimen (AOM 400-TIS) is an alternative to treatment initiation with one injection of AOM 400 plus 14 days of oral aripiprazole supplementation. This survey investigated the real-world experiences of European healthcare professionals (HCPs) with AOM 400-TIS.
Methods
Physicians and nurses in Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom who had prescribed and/or administered AOM 400-TIS ≥ 3 times to patients with schizophrenia were invited to participate in an online survey. The primary objective was to investigate HCPs’ experiences and satisfaction with AOM 400-TIS. Descriptive analysis was performed on data collected between 1 February and 21 March 2024.
Results
Data from 94 HCPs were analysed. Most were psychiatrists (62.8%) or psychiatric nurses (29.8%) who worked in specialist mental health clinics/centres (59.6%) or hospitals (inpatient, 36.2%; outpatient, 23.4%). Median duration in clinical practice was 21.0 years. Common reasons for initiating AOM 400-TIS were poor adherence (85.1%), relapse (59.6%), and high hospitalisation rates (48.9%). Common prescribing goals for AOM 400-TIS included improving adherence (70.2%), preventing relapses (69.1%), and improving patient quality of life (62.8%). Barriers to AOM 400-TIS were patients not wanting two injections (66.0%), tolerability concerns (30.9%), and safety concerns regarding administration of a high dose on a single day (28.7%). Key factors influencing prescription of AOM 400-TIS were prior treatment adherence (55.3%) and efficacy (48.9%). Most HCPs agreed/strongly agreed that AOM 400-TIS was easy to administer (79.8%) and had a similar safety/tolerability profile to the one-injection start regimen (69.1%), with the majority satisfied with patient outcomes with AOM 400-TIS (84.0%).
Conclusion
European HCPs reported that AOM 400-TIS was easy to administer, well tolerated, and improved treatment outcomes. Barriers to its use included patient reluctance and perceived safety concerns.
Authors
A Fagiolini, K Leopold, S Pappa, W J Cottam, J Hickey, O Rogerson, M Yildirim, C Beckham
Journal
Advances in Therapy
Therapeutic Area
Mental Health
Center of Excellence
Real-world Evidence & Data Analytics
Year
2025
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