Improvement of functioning in patients with schizophrenia: Real-world effectiveness of aripiprazole once-monthly (REACT study)

Abstract

Background: Functional impairment affects many patients with schizophrenia. Treatment with the long-acting injectable antipsychotic aripiprazole once-monthly (AOM) may help improve functioning. Methods: Here we report functional outcomes in the form of Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores in a pooled analysis of data from two non-interventional studies from Canada and Germany. Data from 396 patients were analyzed. Results: At baseline, the mean GAF score was 47.7 (SD 13.4). During six months of treatment with AOM, the mean GAF score increased to 59.4 (SD 15.8). Subgroups stratified by patient age (≤35 years/>35 years), gender, disease duration (≤5 years/>5 years) and disease severity at baseline had all significantly improved their GAF at month 6. 51.5% of the patients showed a GAF score increase of at least 10 points, which was regarded as clinically meaningful, and were considered responders. Conclusions: These data show that treatment with AOM may help improve patient functioning in a routine treatment setting. Canadian Non-Interventional Trial Registration 06/05/2014 (NCT02131415). Germany Non-Interventional Trial Registration 02/07/2014 (15960N).