Association of 9-hydroxy risperidone concentrations with risk of switching or discontinuation in the clinical antipsychotic trial of intervention effectiveness-Alzheimer's disease trial

Withdrawal versus continuation of long-term antipsychotic drug use for behavioural and psychological symptoms in older people with dementia

BACKGROUND

Antipsychotic agents are often used to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in people with dementia although there is uncertainty about the effectiveness of their long-term use for this indication and concern that they may cause harm, including higher mortality. When behavioural strategies have failed and treatment with antipsychotic drugs is instituted, regular attempts to withdraw them have been recommended in guidelines. Physicians, nurses and families of older people with dementia may be reluctant to stop antipsychotics, fearing deterioration of NPS.This is an update of a Cochrane Review published in 2013.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether withdrawal of antipsychotic agents is successful in older people with dementia and NPS in primary care or nursing home settings, to list the different strategies for withdrawal of antipsychotic agents in older participants with dementia and NPS, and to measure the effects of withdrawal of antipsychotic agents on participants' behaviour and assess safety.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group (ALOIS), theCochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS, clinical trials registries and grey literature sources up to 11 January 2018.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included all randomised, controlled trials comparing an antipsychotic withdrawal strategy to continuation of antipsychotics in people with dementia who had been treated with an antipsychotic drug for at least three months.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We rated the quality of evidence for each outcome using the GRADE approach.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 10 studies involving 632 participants. One new trial (19 participants) was added for this update.One trial was conducted in a community setting, eight in nursing homes and one in both settings. Different types of antipsychotics at varying doses were discontinued in the studies. Both abrupt and gradual withdrawal schedules were used. Reported data were predominantly from studies at low or unclear risk of bias.We included nine trials with 575 randomised participants that used a proxy outcome for overall success of antipsychotic withdrawal. Pooling data was not possible due to heterogeneity of outcome measures used. Based on assessment of seven studies, discontinuation may make little or no difference to whether or not participants complete the study (low-quality evidence).Two trials included only participants with psychosis, agitation or aggression who had responded to antipsychotic treatment. In these two trials, stopping antipsychotics was associated with a higher risk of leaving the study early due to symptomatic relapse or a shorter time to symptomatic relapse.We found low-quality evidence that discontinuation may make little or no difference to overall NPS, measured using various scales (7 trials, 519 participants). There was some evidence from subgroup analyses in two trials that discontinuation may reduce agitation for participants with less severe NPS at baseline, but may be associated with a worsening of NPS in participants with more severe NPS at baseline.None of the studies assessed withdrawal symptoms. Adverse effects of antipsychotics (such as falls) were not systematically assessed. Low-quality evidence showed that discontinuation may have little or no effect on adverse events (5 trials, 381 participants), quality of life (2 trials, 119 participants), or cognitive function (5 trials, 365 participants).There were insufficient data to determine whether discontinuation of antipsychotics has any effect on mortality (very low-quality evidence).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is low-quality evidence that antipsychotics may be successfully discontinued in older people with dementia and NPS who have been taking antipsychotics for at least three months, and that discontinuation may have little or no important effect on behavioural and psychological symptoms. This is consistent with the observation that most behavioural complications of dementia are intermittent and often do not persist for longer than three months. Discontinuation may have little or no effect on overall cognitive function. Discontinuation may make no difference to adverse events and quality of life. Based on the trials in this review, we are uncertain whether discontinuation of antipsychotics leads to a decrease in mortality.People with psychosis, aggression or agitation who responded well to long-term antipsychotic drug use, or those with more severe NPS at baseline, may benefit behaviourally from continuation of antipsychotics. Discontinuation may reduce agitation for people with mild NPS at baseline. However, these conclusions are based on few studies or small subgroups and further evidence of benefits and harms associated with withdrawal of antipsychotic is required in people with dementia and mild and severe NPS.The overall conclusions of the review have not changed since 2013 and the number of available trials remains low.

Time-to-First Discontinuation, Adherence and Persistence in New Users of Second-Generation Antipsychotics

Consensus guidelines which are applicable in New Zealand and worldwide recommend that the duration of exposure to antipsychotics not exceed 12 weeks, unless justified for mental illnesses like schizophrenia and severe psychotic symptoms which require longer treatment. There has been limited information on time-to-first discontinuation (TTFD) for second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) in a real world population setting in older people. The study objective was to compare TTFD, adherence, and persistence for individual SGA new users among people 65 years and older. A cohort of 30,297 SGA new users was followed up for antipsychotic discontinuation from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2012. Data for oral formulations were extracted using health care databases from the New Zealand Ministry of Health. The TTFD, adherence, and persistence were defined using (dispensing gap ≥ 91 days, variable medication possession ratio ≥ 0.8, and gap duration < 91 days between refills), respectively. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis were used to estimate and adjust for outcomes. The overall TTFD in SGA new users was 192.3 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 177.6-206.9), mean age at dispensing was 80.9 years (SD, 8.1 years), and 60.3% were women. The TTFD for was shortest for risperidone, 101.3 days (95% CI, 85.0-117.7; P = 0.03) compared with clozapine, 68.3 days (95% CI: 43.7, 92.9). The adjusted all-cause TTFD risk for risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, or ziprasidone (hazard ratios, 0.54, 0.29, 0.22, and 0.08, respectively) was significantly lower than clozapine. The TTFD risk in the nonadherent compared with the adherent group was more than 3 times.

Marble-burying is enhanced in 3xTg-AD mice, can be reversed by risperidone and it is modulable by handling

Translational research on behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is relevant to the study the neuropsychiatric symptoms that strongly affect the quality of life of the human Alzheimer's disease (AD) patient and caregivers, frequently leading to early institutionalization. Among the ethological behavioural tests for rodents, marble burying is considered to model the spectrum of anxiety, psychotic and obsessive-compulsive like symptoms. The present work was aimed to study the behavioural interactions of 12 month-old male 3xTg-AD mice with small objects using the marble-burying test, as compared to the response elicited in age-matched non-transgenic (NTg) mice. The distinction of the classical 'number of buried marbles' but also those left 'intact' and those 'changed' of position of marbles or partially buried (the transitional level of interaction) provided new insights into the modelling of BPSD-like alterations in this AD model. The analysis revealed genotype differences in the behavioural patterns and predominant behaviors. In the NTg mice, predominance was shown in the 'changed or partially buried', while interactions with marble were enhanced in 3xTg-AD mice resulting in an increase of marble burying. Besides, genotype-dependent meaningful correlations were found, with the marble test pattern of 3xTg-AD mice being directly related to neophobia in the corner tests. In both genotypes, the increase of burying was reversed by chronic treatment with risperidone (1mg/kg, s.c.). In 3xTg-AD mice, the repetitive handling of animals during the treatment also exerted modulatory effects. These distinct patterns further characterize the modelling of BPSD-like symptoms in the 3xTg-AD mice, and provide another behavioural tool to assess the benefits of preventive and/or therapeutic strategies, as well as the potential action of risk factors for AD, in this animal model.

Withdrawal versus continuation of chronic antipsychotic drugs for behavioural and psychological symptoms in older people with dementia

BACKGROUND

Antipsychotic agents are often used to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in dementia, although the literature is sceptical about their long-term use for this indication. Their effectiveness is limited and there is concern about adverse effects, including higher mortality with long-term use. When behavioural strategies have failed and drug therapy is instituted, regular attempts to withdraw these drugs are recommended. Physicians, nurses and families of older people with dementia are often reluctant to try to stop antipsychotics, fearing deterioration of NPS. Strategies to reduce antipsychotic use have been proposed, but a systematic review of interventions aimed at withdrawal of antipsychotic agents in older people with dementia has not yet been performed.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether withdrawal of antipsychotic agents is successful in older people with dementia in community or nursing home settings, to list the different strategies for withdrawal of antipsychotic agents in older people with dementia and NPS, and to measure the effects of withdrawal of antipsychotic agents on behaviour.

SEARCH METHODS

ALOIS, the Specialized Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group (CDCIG), The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS, clinical trials registries and grey literature sources were searched on 23 November 2012. The search included the following terms: antipsychotic* or neuroleptic* or phenothiazines or butyrophenones or risperidone or olanzapine or haloperidol or prothipendyl or methotrimeprazine or clopenthixol or flupenthixol or clothiapine or metylperon or droperidol or pipamperone or benperidol or bromperidol or fluspirilene or pimozide or penfluridol or sulpiride or veralipride or levosulpiride or sultopride or aripiprazole or clozapine or quetiapine or thioridazine combined wither terms such as discontinu* or withdraw* or cessat* or reduce* or reducing or reduct* or taper* or stop*.ALOIS contains records from all major healthcare databases (The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS), as well as from many clinical trials registries and grey literature sources.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised, placebo-controlled trials comparing an antipsychotic withdrawal strategy to continuation of antipsychotics in people with dementia.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion, rated their risk of bias and extracted data.

MAIN RESULTS

We included nine trials with 606 randomised participants. Seven trials were conducted in nursing homes, one trial in an outpatient setting and one in both settings. In these trials, different types of antipsychotics prescribed at different doses were withdrawn. Both abrupt and gradual withdrawal schedules were used. The risk of bias of the included studies was generally low regarding blinding and outcome reporting and unclear for randomisation procedures and recruitment of participants.There was a wide variety of outcome measures. Our primary efficacy outcomes were success of withdrawal (i.e. remaining in study off antipsychotics) and NPS. Eight of nine trials reported no overall significant difference between groups on the primary outcomes, although in one pilot study of people with psychosis and agitation that had responded to haloperidol, time to relapse was significantly shorter in the discontinuation group (Chi(2) = 4.1, P value = 0.04). The ninth trial included people with psychosis or agitation who had responded well to risperidone therapy for four to eight months and reported that discontinuation led to an increased risk of relapse, that is, increase in the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)-core score of 30% or greater (P value = 0.004, hazard ratio (HR) 1.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09 to 3.45 at four months). The only outcome that could be pooled was the full NPI-score, used in two studies. For this outcome there was no significant difference between people withdrawn from and those continuing on antipsychotics at three months (mean difference (MD) -1.49, 95% CI -5.39 to 2.40). These two studies reported subgroup analyses according to baseline NPI-score (14 or less versus > 14). In one study, those with milder symptoms at baseline were significantly less agitated at three months in the discontinuation group (NPI-agitation, Mann-Whitney U test z = 2.4, P value = 0.018). In both studies, there was evidence of significant behavioural deterioration in people with more severe baseline NPS who were withdrawn from antipsychotics (Chi(2) = 6.8; P value = 0.009 for the marked symptom score in one study).Individual studies did not report significant differences between groups on any other outcome except one trial that found a significant difference in a measure of verbal fluency, favouring discontinuation. Most trials lacked power to detect clinically important differences between groups.Adverse events were not systematically assessed. In one trial there was a non-significant increase in mortality in people who continued antipsychotic treatment (5% to 8% greater than placebo, depending on the population analysed, measured at 12 months). This trend became significant three years after randomisation, but due to dropout and uncertainty about the use of antipsychotics in this follow-up period this result should be interpreted with caution.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that many older people with Alzheimer's dementia and NPS can be withdrawn from chronic antipsychotic medication without detrimental effects on their behaviour. It remains uncertain whether withdrawal is beneficial for cognition or psychomotor status, but the results of this review suggest that discontinuation programmes could be incorporated into routine practice. However, two studies of people whose agitation or psychosis had previously responded well to antipsychotic treatment found an increased risk of relapse or shorter time to relapse after discontinuation. Two other studies suggest that people with more severe NPS at baseline could benefit from continuing their antipsychotic medication. In these people, withdrawal might not be recommended.