2010]. The SPHERE study addressed the experience with RLAI in long-term

therapy after an acute episode of schizophrenia [De la Gandara et al. 2009]. The overall perception quoted on an 11-point scale (0 = worst, 10 = best) was stated as favourable by patients (mean score 6.8, SD 1.8), primary caregivers (8.0, SD 1.5) and relatives (7.9 SD 1.8) [De la Gandara et al. 2009]. Another approach investigated Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical the association between medication-related factors and adherence in individuals with schizophrenia in outpatient treatment [Meier et al. 2010]. The results showed that adherence, as rated by patient and clinician, was predicted by patient attitude towards medication, but was not related to type of drug, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical formulation (oral or depot) or side effects of antipsychotic medication. As opposed to earlier studies one finding was that a higher daily dose frequency was associated with better adherence [Meier et al. 2010]. In recent years, several studies investigated acceptance rates and effectiveness of long-acting depot antipsychotics, mostly RLAI, in FEPs [Emsley et al. 2008; Kim et al. 2008; Weiden et al. 2009]. The acceptance rate initially was high with 73% of the patients

asked. They were significantly Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical more adherent after 12 weeks (RLAI 89% versus oral 59%, p = 0.035) [Weiden et al. 2009]. Lower relapse rates were found for RLAI after 1 year (18% RLAI versus 50% oral, p = 0.03) Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and 2 years (23% RLAI versus 75% oral, p < 0.01). Nonadherence or partial adherence were also lower in FEPs treated with RLAI (32% versus 68% on oral medication, p < 0.01) [Kim et al. 2008]. Discussion Our systematic review has uncovered some literature biases that need to be addressed. For example, data on the attitudes of FEPs towards treatment with depot antipsychotics is nearly nonexistent to date. The following discussion therefore has to rely on attitudes held by

clinicians concerning this matter. In consideration of the limited data, this review revealed a trend towards Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical a negative and conservative attitude of clinicians towards depot antipsychotics in FEPs. This selleck inhibitor contrasts with the more positive attitudes of health professionals reviewed by Waddell and Taylor concerning depot treatment of patients Thiamine-diphosphate kinase with schizophrenia and spectrum disorders in general [Waddell and Taylor, 2009]. Three statements of psychiatrists seem to be relevant for their attitudes on LAI treatment of FEPs: (i) the assumption that FEPs frequently would reject the offer of depot treatment; (ii) that FEPs who never experienced a relapse were hard to convince into depot treatment; and (iii) that only a few SGA-LAIs are available to date [Heres et al. 2011]. The first two assumptions are not supported by the data on treatment practice. In fact, only between 10% [Jaeger and Rossler, 2010] and 28% [Heres et al. 2011] of FEPs were ever offered treatment with LAIs.