Rapid acute treatment of agitation in individuals with schizophrenia: multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled study of inhaled loxapine

Neurofeedback technique for treating male schizophrenia patients with impulsive behavior: a randomized controlled study

Background

Schizophrenia is one of the most severe mental disorders, frequently associated with aggression and violence, particularly in male patients. The underlying mechanisms of violent behavior in these patients remain unclear, limiting effective treatment options and highlighting the need for further research into interventions for impulsive behaviors. This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of neurofeedback treatment in hospitalized male schizophrenia patients exhibiting impulsive behaviors.

Methods

The study was designed as a single-center, randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled parallel trial. Eighty patients were randomly assigned to either a study group or a control group. The control group received risperidone and sham neurofeedback, while the study group received risperidone and active neurofeedback therapy. Both groups underwent training five times per week, with each session lasting 20 minutes, over a six-week period. Clinical symptoms were assessed at baseline, three weeks and six weeks using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS), and the Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side Effects (RSESE). Statistical analyses were conducted to compare the therapeutic effects between the two groups at the study's conclusion.

Results

Initial comparisons showed no significant differences in baseline data, except for the number of prior hospitalizations (P<0.018). By the end of the study, the study group demonstrate significant improvements in MOAS and PANSS scores (including the Excited, Positive, Cognitive, and Depressive/Anxiety Components), with no significant changes in RSESE scores.

Discussion

Both time and group interactions were significant across most outcomes, underscoring the efficacy of neurofeedback in reducing the severity of impulsive behaviors and associated schizophrenia symptoms.

Clinical trial registration

chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2200063407.

Fifty years of experience with loxapine for the rapid non-coercive tranquilization of acute behavioral disturbances in schizophrenia patients, and beyond

INTRODUCTION

Acute behavioral disturbances in psychosis, including agitation, comprise a heterogeneous group of manifestations varying in intensity and duration they last for. They require rapid, non-coercive treatments ranging from verbal de-escalation to the calming effect of pharmacological agents. The treatment goals are reduction of patient suffering and prevention of disease deterioration. Stabilizing rather than sedating is preferred to ensure improved compliance and a stronger therapeutic alliance. Furthermore, animal pharmacology and clinical studies on agitation reveal the robust calming and anxiolytic properties of loxapine.

AREAS COVERED

This review covers the pharmacological and clinical history of loxapine along with research developments. It emphasizes the advantages of its multiple formulations ranging from injectable forms and tablets to orally inhaled forms to attain rapid and fine-tuned tranquilization.

EXPERT OPINION

Rapid tranquillization is achieved within 2-6 hours using liquid orally-consumed loxapine, and within an hour or less with its IM or orally inhaled forms. Loxapine has been adopted in the management of a wide range of acute disturbances, such as agitation in psychosis. In the context of personalized medicine, key cellular and molecular elements of the schizophrenia phenotype were recently shown to be improved with loxapine.

Adverse Drug Reactions of Olanzapine, Clozapine and Loxapine in Children and Youth: A Systematic Pharmacogenetic Review

Children and youth treated with antipsychotic drugs (APs) are particularly vulnerable to adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and prone to poor treatment response. In particular, interindividual variations in drug exposure can result from differential metabolism of APs by cytochromes, subject to genetic polymorphism. CYP1A2 is pivotal in the metabolism of the APs olanzapine, clozapine, and loxapine, whose safety profile warrants caution. We aimed to shed some light on the pharmacogenetic profiles possibly associated with these drugs’ ADRs and loss of efficacy in children and youth. We conducted a systematic review relying on four databases, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 recommendations and checklist, with a quality assessment. Our research yielded 32 publications. The most frequent ADRs were weight gain and metabolic syndrome (18; 56.3%), followed by lack of therapeutic effect (8; 25%) and neurological ADRs (7; 21.8%). The overall mean quality score was 11.3/24 (±2.7). In 11 studies (34.3%), genotyping focused on the study of cytochromes. Findings regarding possible associations were sometimes conflicting. Nonetheless, cases of major clinical improvement were fostered by genotyping. Yet, CYP1A2 remains poorly investigated. Further studies are required to improve the assessment of the risk–benefit balance of prescription for children and youth treated with olanzapine, clozapine, and/or loxapine.

Reduced Platelet MAO-B Activity Is Associated with Psychotic, Positive, and Depressive Symptoms in PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-related disorder. Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO-B) is a peripheral biomarker associated with various symptoms in different psychopathologies, but its role in PTSD or different symptoms in PTSD is not clear. This study elucidated the association between platelet MAO-B activity and clinical symptoms occurring in PTSD. Platelet MAO-B activity was determined in 1053 male Caucasian subjects: 559 war veterans with PTSD (DSM-5 criteria), 62 combat exposed veterans who did not develop PTSD, and 432 non-combat exposed healthy controls. Clinical symptoms in PTSD were determined using CAPS and PANSS. Platelet MAO-B activity, controlled for the effect of smoking, was significantly increased in PTSD with severe versus mild and moderate traumatic symptoms, and was significantly decreased in PTSD subjects with severe versus mild positive, psychotic, and depressive symptoms. This finding was further confirmed with reduced platelet MAO-B activity in PTSD veterans with severe versus mild individual items of the PANSS-depressed, PANSS-psychotic, and PANSS-positive subscales. Altered platelet MAO-B activity, controlled for the possible confounders, was associated with the development and severity of different symptoms occurring in PTSD. These findings confirmed the role of platelet MAO-B activity as a peripheral marker of various psychopathological symptoms.

Recent advances in drug delivery to the central nervous system by inhalation

INTRODUCTION

Drugs need to enter the systemic circulation efficiently before they can cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the central nervous system. Although the respiratory tract is not a common route of administration for delivering drugs to the central nervous system, it has attracted increasing interest in recent years for this purpose.

AREAS COVERED

In this article, we compare pulmonary delivery to three other common routes (parenteral, oral, and intranasal) for delivering drugs to the central nervous system, followed by summarising the devices used to aerosolise neurological drugs. Recent studies delivering drugs for different neurological disorders via inhalation are then discussed to illustrate the strengths of pulmonary delivery.

EXPERT OPINION

Recent studies provide strong evidence and rationale to support inhaling neurological drugs. Since inhalation can achieve improved pharmacokinetics and rapid onset of action for multiple drugs, it is a non-invasive and efficient method to deliver drugs to the central nervous system. Future research should focus on delivering other small and macro-molecules via the lungs for different neurological conditions.

Psychopharmacology of agitation in acute psychotic and manic episodes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide updated guidance for the medication treatment of acute agitation in the setting of psychosis or mania on inpatient psychiatric units.

RECENT FINDINGS

This topic presented challenges: studies are sparse, tend to be under-powered, and are difficult to compare. Though there have been few recent studies, there have been several recent meta-analyses, Cochrane reviews, and published guidelines that sift through the primarily older evidence as well as more recent trials. The reviewers often do not agree on what seems to have the best evidence for efficacy and safety.

SUMMARY

We conclude that the best approach is to summarize in some detail the evidence for each possible treatment and the interpretations published recently on each of those treatments, and then present recommendations for medication management in tiered rankings, based on the authors' qualitative review of the data and opinions. For oral treatment, the first-tier options are (alphabetically) haloperidol with lorazepam, lorazepam alone, and olanzapine. The second tier includes haloperidol with promethazine, loxapine inhaler, and risperidone alone. Tier 3 includes asenapine and quetiapine. For intramuscular treatment, the first-tier includes haloperidol plus promethazine, and olanzapine alone, and the second-tier includes haloperidol with lorazepam, and lorazepam alone.

New Antipsychotic Medications in the Last Decade

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Over the last ten years, the treatment of psychosis has seen a near explosion of creative development in both novel agents and new delivery modalities. The current review summarizes these developments over the past decade (2011-2020). We performed a systematic review utilizing PubMed and PsychInfo with the aim of identifying all the RCT and related analyses in adults with psychosis (schizophrenia and mania).

RECENT FINDINGS

We identified 11 significant developments: the introduction of new antipsychotics cariprazine, brexpiprazole, lumateperone, and pimavanserin; introduction of new delivery methods: subcutaneous long-acting risperidone, aripiprazole lauroxil, transdermal asenapine, and inhaled loxapine; and the introduction of new approaches such as olanzapine/samidorphan for olanzapine-associated weight gain, examination of the TAAR1 agonist SEP 363,856 as a test of concept, and the combination of Xanomeline/Trospium, an M₁ and M₄ muscarinic receptor agonist in conjunction with a peripheral anticholinergic. Last decade has seen a tremendous development in second-generation antipsychotics which provides unprecedented treatment options for clinicians in treating psychosis.

Dosing antipsychotics in special populations of patients with schizophrenia: severe psychotic agitation, first psychotic episode and elderly patients

Antipsychotic (AP) dosing is well established in nonelderly patients with acute exacerbations of schizophrenia, but not in special populations.This review describes the AP dosing procedures that have been used in clinical studies for acute psychotic agitation, a first episode of psychosis (FEP), and elderly patients. AP dosing data was extracted from the databases of drug regulatory authorities, and from clinical studies available in the medical literature. In acute psychotic agitation, intramuscular and oral APs are frequently prescribed in higher doses than those that saturate D2 receptors. Supersaturating doses of APs should be avoided due to an increased risk of adverse effects. In FEP, many studies showed efficacy of low doses of APs. Studies with risperidone and haloperidol suggested a dose reduction of approximately one third. Titration with a lower starting dose is recommended in elderly patients, due to possible decreases in pharmacokinetic clearance, and due to the risk of concomitant diseases and drug interactions. Exposure to some APs has been associated with QTc prolongation and arrhythmias, and a small but significant increase in the risk of stroke and mortality with APs has been seen, particularly in older people with dementia-related psychosis.

The Management of Psychomotor Agitation Associated with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder: A Brief Review

The early and correct assessment of psychomotor agitation (PMA) is essential to ensure prompt intervention by healthcare professionals to improve the patient’s condition, protect healthcare staff, and facilitate future management. Proper training for recognizing and managing agitation in all care settings is desirable to improve patient outcomes. The best approach is one that is ethical, non-invasive, and respectful of the patient’s dignity. When deemed necessary, pharmacological interventions must be administered rapidly and avoid producing an excessive state of sedation, except in cases of severe and imminent danger to the patient or others. The purpose of this brief review is to raise awareness about best practices for the management of PMA in emergency care situations and consider the role of new pharmacological interventions in patients with agitation associated with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

Rumination in the Context of Anger and Sadness: Differential Effects on State Agitation

BACKGROUND

Agitation is an important transdiagnostic factor for several mental health disorders and a significant risk factor for dangerous or maladaptive coping behaviors. How an individual responds to experiences of agitation itself may also play a crucial role in conferring risk towards maladaptive behaviors. Specifically, ruminating on high arousal emotions, such as anger, will also be more likely to initiate and maintain agitation, thereby increasing risk for impulsive and maladaptive behaviors.

METHODS

Undergraduate students (N=117) were randomly assigned to an emotion induction condition (i.e., control, sadness only, anger only, sadness and anger) followed by either a control condition or a rumination induction. They completed measures on subjective emotional state and agitation at baseline, after emotion induction, after rumination induction, and at the end of session.

RESULTS

Agitation was influenced by negative affect broadly with each experimental condition leading to agitation. Anger influenced momentary change in agitation and sustained agitation when combined with rumination.

LIMITATIONS

The majority of participants in the current study were young, white females and the findings may not generalize to individuals of diverse genders and cultures who may have experience and cope with agitation differently.

CONCLUSIONS

Recognizing and mitigating rumination during moments of anger may help decrease a clients' use of problematic coping behaviors.

Safety and efficacy of pharmacologic agents used for rapid tranquilization of emergency department patients with acute agitation or excited delirium

Introduction: Management of patients with acute agitation or aggressive behavior can pose a significant challenge to health-care providers in emergency departments. Areas covered: This article provides a comprehensive review of the pharmacologic properties, efficacy, and safety profiles of select intramuscular (IM) sedative agents (i.e., antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and ketamine) for rapid tranquilization. Expert opinion: Using antipsychotics and benzodiazepines - whether a single agent or combined - will have similar efficacy in producing sedation. But there are differences in the time to sedation depending on which agent is used. Based upon the available studies, droperidol (5-10 mg IM) and midazolam (5-10 mg IM) have the fastest onset of sedation when either is used as a single agent. When combination therapy is used, using midazolam with an antipsychotic agent, instead of lorazepam, may result in faster sedative effect. QT prolongation and torsades de pointes are uncommon adverse drug effects of antipsychotic administration. Ketamine is often reserved as a second-line agent when antipsychotics and benzodiazepines fail to produce the desired tranquilization. However, ketamine (5 mg/kg IM) is more frequently associated with airway compromise requiring endotracheal intubation. A low-dose of ketamine (2 mg/kg IM) may reduce the risk of airway compromise while providing adequate sedation.

Associations of C-Reactive Protein, Free Triiodothyronine, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone and Creatinine Levels with Agitation in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

Agitation is prevalent among inpatients with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether biochemical parameters are associated with agitation in schizophrenia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Agitation was evaluated by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component questionnaire (PANSS-EC). Fasting serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), uric acid (UA), creatinine, glucose and lipids were measured.

RESULTS

The analysis included 154 inpatients with schizophrenia (71 with agitation, 83 without agitation) and 75 healthy control subjects. Patients with schizophrenia and agitation had higher serum levels of CRP, FT3, FT4 and UA as well as lower levels of serum TSH and creatinine than patients without agitation (all P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that serum CRP (odds ratio [OR] = 1.470, P = 0.001), FT3 (OR = 13.026, P < 0.001), TSH (OR = 0.758, P = 0.033) and creatinine (OR = 0.965, P = 0.004) were significantly associated with agitation in schizophrenia. CRP, FT3, TSH and creatinine achieved an area under the ROC curve of 0.626, 0.728, 0.620 and 0.663 respectively in discriminating schizophrenia with or without agitation.

CONCLUSION

Increased serum CRP and FT3 levels and decreased serum TSH and creatinine levels are independent risk factors for agitation in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Inflammation, thyroid hormones and renal function may be involved in the pathogenesis of agitation in schizophrenia.

Which Emergent Medication Should I Give Next? Repeated Use of Emergent Medications to Treat Acute Agitation

Agitation is a common symptom encountered among patients treated in psychiatric emergency settings. While there are many guidelines available for initial management of the acutely agitated patient, there is a notable dearth of guidelines that delineate recommended approaches to the acutely agitated patient in whom an initial medication intervention has failed. This manuscript aims to fill this gap by examining evidence available in the literature and providing clinical algorithms suggested by the authors for sequential medication administration in patients with persistent acute agitation in psychiatric emergency settings. We discuss risk factors for medication-related adverse events and provide options for patients who are able to take oral medications and for patients who require parenteral intervention. We conclude with a discussion of the current need for well-designed studies that examine sequential medication options in patients with persistent acute agitation.

Up-to-date expert opinion on the safety of recently developed antipsychotics

Introduction There are several new and emerging antipsychotic medication strategies recently marketed or under clinical development for the treatment of several mental disorders. There is the need to provide an up-to-date overview on the safety of this new generation of antipsychotic medications, which includes also the third-generation antipsychotics (TGA). Areas covered The authors aimed at providing a synthesis of the most current evidence about the safety profile of the recently developed and/or marketed antipsychotics. Qualitative synthesis followed an electronic search made inquiring of the following databases: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library from inception until March 2020, combining free terms and MESH headings for the topics of TGA and recently developed and/or marketed antipsychotics as following: ((safety OR adverse events OR side effects) AND ((brexpiprazole OR cariprazine OR inhaled loxapine OR lumateperone (ITI-007) OR lurasidone OR pimavanserin OR roluperidone (MIN-101) OR transdermal patch asenapine)). Expert opinion Overall, newer antipsychotics display a good safety profile, with a well-demonstrated lower metabolic liability compared to second-generation antipsychotics. Furthermore, TGA appear to specifically target negative symptomatology and improving cognitive domains. Abbreviations Aps=Antipsychotic Drugs; AEs = Adverse Effects; EPS = Extrapyramidal Symptoms; NMS = Neuroleptic malignant syndrome; D = Dopamine; K_i = Inhibitory Constant; 5-HT = Serotonin; ECG = Electrocardiogram; H = Histamine; M = Muscarinic; BMI = Body Mass Index.

The treatment of acute agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder: investigational drugs in early stages of their clinical development, and their clinical context and potential place in therapy

Introduction: Acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder may require pharmacologic management. Ideal medication characteristics for this indication include rapid onset, minimal side effects, and noninvasive administration techniques.Areas Covered: This review summarizes investigational agents in early clinical development for the management of acute agitation in patients with psychosis or mania; it also assesses where these agents may fit with current therapies to provide a clinical perspective. The authors conducted a broad search of clinicaltrials.gov to identify investigational agents for agitation or aggression in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Two medications met the search criteria: dexmedetomidine film (BXCL501) and intranasal olanzapine (INP105).Expert Opinion: Olanzapine is a well-known molecular entity in the psychiatric armamentarium but dexmedetomidine would be a new and unfamiliar agent for mental health providers. Nonetheless, although it is too early to make definitive statements about tolerability and efficacy, their unique administration mechanisms suggest that dexmedetomidine film and intranasal olanzapine may become valuable options for the rapid management of acute agitation in patients who are willing to cooperate with medication therapy.

Introduction to Survival Analysis in Practice

The modeling of time to event data is an important topic with many applications in diverse areas. The collective of methods to analyze such data are called survival analysis, event history analysis or duration analysis. Survival analysis is widely applicable because the definition of an ’event’ can be manifold and examples include death, graduation, purchase or bankruptcy. Hence, application areas range from medicine and sociology to marketing and economics. In this paper, we review the theoretical basics of survival analysis including estimators for survival and hazard functions. We discuss the Cox Proportional Hazard Model in detail and also approaches for testing the proportional hazard (PH) assumption. Furthermore, we discuss stratified Cox models for cases when the PH assumption does not hold. Our discussion is complemented with a worked example using the statistical programming language R to enable the practical application of the methodology.

Inhaled Loxapine for the Management of Acute Agitation in Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia: Expert Review and Commentary in an Era of Change

Agitation is a common and costly phenomenon associated with a number of psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Early identification and prompt intervention to relieve the symptoms of agitation are essential to avoid symptomatic escalation and emergence of aggressive behaviour. Recent consensus guidelines emphasise the need for non-coercive management strategies to protect the therapeutic alliance between patients and their healthcare providers—an alliance that is critical for the effective management of chronic psychiatric conditions. Rapid symptom relief and de-escalation of agitation are necessary to avoid the costly and traumatic use of coercive techniques of physical restraint and seclusion, which require admission and prolonged hospitalisation. Inhaled loxapine is approved for the treatment of acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Clinical studies have confirmed the efficacy, rapid onset of action, and safety and tolerability of this agent in the psychiatric emergency and hospital settings. Emerging data have indicated the potential for inhaled loxapine as a self-administered agent for use in the community setting without the direct supervision of a healthcare professional. We discuss the evolving treatment paradigm and the place of inhaled medications for acutely agitated patients both within and outside the emergency and hospital setting.

Brazilian guidelines for the management of psychomotor agitation. Part 2. Pharmacological approach

Objective:

To present the essential guidelines for pharmacological management of patients with psychomotor agitation in Brazil.

Methods:

This is a systematic review of articles retrieved from the MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and SciELO databases published from 1997 to 2017. Other relevant articles in the literature were also used to develop these guidelines. The search strategy used structured questions formulated using the PICO model, as recommended by the Guidelines Project of the Brazilian Medical Association. Recommendations were summarized according to their level of evidence, which was determined using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine system and critical appraisal tools.

Results:

Of 5,362 articles retrieved, 1,731 abstracts were selected for further reading. The final sample included 74 articles that met all inclusion criteria. The evidence shows that pharmacologic treatment is indicated only after non-pharmacologic approaches have failed. The cause of the agitation, side effects of the medications, and contraindications must guide the medication choice. The oral route should be preferred for drug administration; IV administration must be avoided. All subjects must be monitored before and after medication administration.

Conclusion:

If non-pharmacological strategies fail, medications are needed to control agitation and violent behavior. Once medicated, the patient should be monitored until a tranquil state is possible without excessive sedation.

Systematic review registry number:

CRD42017054440.

Using stem cell-derived neurons in drug screening for neurological diseases

Induced pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives have become an important tool for researching disease mechanisms. It is hoped that they could be used to discover new therapies by providing the most reliable and relevant human in vitro disease models for drug discovery. This review will summarize recent efforts to use stem cell-derived neurons for drug screening. We also explain the current hurdles to using these cells for high-throughput pharmaceutical screening and developments that may help overcome these hurdles. Finally, we critically discuss whether induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons will come to fruition as a model that is regularly used to screen for drugs to treat neurological diseases.

The pharmacological management of agitated and aggressive behaviour: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction:

Non-pharmacological interventions preferably precede pharmacological interventions in acute agitation. Reviews of pharmacological interventions remain descriptive or compare only one compound with several other compounds. The goal of this study is to compute a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect on restoring calmness after a pharmacological intervention, so a more precise recommendation is possible.

Method:

A search in Pubmed and Embase was done to isolate RCT’s considering pharmacological interventions in acute agitation. The outcome is reaching calmness within maximum of 2 h, assessed by the psychometric scales of PANSS-EC, CGI or ACES. Also the percentages of adverse effects was assessed.

Results:

Fifty-three papers were included for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Most frequent studied drug is olanzapine. Changes on PANNS-EC and ACES at 2 h showed the strongest changes for haloperidol plus promethazine, risperidon, olanzapine, droperidol and aripiprazole. However, incomplete data showed that the effect of risperidon is overestimated. Adverse effects are most prominent for haloperidol and haloperidol plus lorazepam.

Conclusion:

Olanzapine, haloperidol plus promethazine or droperidol are most effective and safe for use as rapid tranquilisation. Midazolam sedates most quickly. But due to increased saturation problems, midazolam is restricted to use within an emergency department of a general hospital.

Examining the safety, efficacy, and patient acceptability of inhaled loxapine for the acute treatment of agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder in adults

Agitation is a common and serious symptom of bipolar mania and schizophrenia, and can be defined as excessive motor and verbal activity. If left unrecognized and untreated, agitation can evolve into aggression, resulting in potential patient and staff injury. An ideal treatment for agitation would have a rapid onset, cause calmness without sedation, and be tolerable, efficacious, and non-coercive, while managing the underlying condition. A novel approach for the treatment of agitation is inhaled loxapine. Inhaled loxapine is rapidly absorbed into the systemic circulation through the alveoli, resulting in a near immediate onset of action. The efficacy of inhaled loxapine was established in an extensive clinical development program that included persons with schizophrenia and bipolar mania. Additionally, inhaled loxapine has comparable efficacy to intramuscular ziprasidone, olanzapine, haloperidol, aripiprazole, and lorazepam, with the added benefit of being non-painful and non-traumatizing. Inhaled loxapine carries a bolded black box warning for bronchospasm, and as a result, in the US, requires enrollment in a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy program, and is contraindicated in those with pulmonary disease. Additionally, the use of inhaled loxapine can be associated with dysgeusia and throat irritation. Inhaled loxapine requires some degree of patient cooperation, and therefore may not be appropriate for all agitated patients.

Psychomotor agitation in subjects hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of Schizophrenia

The aims of this study were to establish the prevalence of moderate and severe psychomotor agitation in patients hospitalized for an active phase of schizophrenia, the associations between psychomotor agitation and patients' demographic and clinical variables, the intra-individual stability of the agitated/non-agitated dichotomy in independent psychotic breakdowns. The study was performed on a database relative to 630 inpatients hospitalized with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Psychomotor agitation was measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale - Excited Component (PANSS-EC). Prevalence of moderate and severe psychomotor agitation was 40.5% and 23.7%, respectively. Non-agitated patients were older, with longer illness history and duration of untreated psychosis, were more frequently on antipsychotic medication, had lower incidence of recent use of substances, and functioned better before the index hospitalization than moderately and/or severely agitated patients. Non-agitated patients had lower scores for total PANSS and Emsley's positive and anxiety dimensions. Compared with the severely agitated group, non-agitated and moderately agitated patients scored more in Emsley's depression dimension. Poor functioning before index hospital admission, higher scores for negative subscale and Emsley's positive dimension and use of substances exerted an effect on risk of psychomotor agitation.

Safety and efficacy of self-administered inhaled loxapine (ADASUVE) in agitated patients outside the hospital setting: protocol for a phase IV, single-arm, open-label trial

INTRODUCTION

There is a need for fast-acting, non-injection antiagitation treatments that are well tolerated and can be used outside of healthcare facilities. In phase II/III trials, an inhaled formulation of loxapine (ADASUVE®), a well-established, first-generation antipsychotic agent, provided rapid control of mild to moderate agitation in the hospital setting. The present study was designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of inhaled loxapine when self-administered outside the hospital setting.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This phase IV, multicentre, single-arm, open-label clinical trial is being conducted in five countries in Europe: Spain, Germany, Norway, Romania and Austria. The aim is to include approximately 500 patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who previously received and responded well to inhaled loxapine in the hospital setting. Eligible patients will be followed up for 6 months from baseline. They will be given a 10 mg dose of inhaled loxapine to self-administer outside the hospital setting to treat an agitation episode, should one occur. Patients will also be given a short-acting beta-agonist bronchodilator for treatment of possible severe respiratory side effects. The primary endpoint is incidence of serious adverse events (AEs) and respiratory AEs of special interest related to use of inhaled loxapine outside the hospital setting. Secondary endpoints include incidence of other AEs, Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scores up to 2 hours after self-administration of inhaled loxapine, time to improvement of agitation, patient satisfaction with treatment, treatment outcomes according to agitation severity and concordance between the patient (or a family member/caregiver) and the physician in scoring of agitation severity and the decision to self-administer inhaled loxapine.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The protocol received ethics committee approval in the participating countries between January and August 2016. The results of this study will be disseminated through one or more scientific papers.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

EudraCT2015-003331-36; NCT02525991; Pre-results.

Effect of Intramuscular Ketamine versus Haloperidol on Short-Term Control of Severe Agitated Patients in Emergency Department; A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intramuscular ketamine and haloperidol in sedation of severely agitated patients in emergency department (ED).

Methods

This randomized, double-blind clinical trial study was performed on agitated patients referring to two university educational hospitals. Patients were randomly assigned to receive intramuscular (IM) haloperidol (5 mg) or IM ketamine (4 mg/kg). The primary outcome was time to adequate sedation (AMSS ≤ +1). Secondary outcomes included the need for additional sedatives, required intubation, duration of hospitalization, and side effects.

Results

The 90 agitated patients were enrolled. The mean age was 30.37±7.36 years (range 18-56); 74% (67/90) were men. The mean time to adequate sedation in ketamine group (7.73 ± 4.71 minutes) was significantly lower than haloperidol group (11.42 ± 7.20 minutes) (p= 0.005). 15 minutes after intervention, the sedation score did not differ significantly in both groups (Ketamine:0.14 ± 0.59 vs. Haloperidol: 0.30 ± 0.60; p=0.167). The incidence of complications was not significantly different between groups. The physician's satisfaction from the patients' aggression control was significantly higher in ketamine group.

Conclusion

These data suggest ketamine may be used for short-term control of agitated patients, additional studies are needed to confirm if ketamine is safe in this patient population. Given rapid effective sedation and the higher physician satisfaction of ketamine in comparison to haloperidol, it may be considered as a safe and appropriate alternative to haloperidol.IRCT Code: IRCT20180129038549N5.

Inhaled Loxapine for Agitation in Intoxicated Patients: A Case Series

Objectives

Episodes of agitation are frequent in intoxicated patients who have a substance use disorder, a psychiatric disorder or both (dual diagnosis). For managing the agitation, it is necessary to act promptly in a safe environment and addressing any underlying etiology. Inhaled loxapine improves symptoms of agitation in adults with psychiatric disorders (eg, schizophrenia) within 10 minutes of administration. Recently, some reports have documented the usefulness of loxapine in dual diagnoses patients with agitation. However, the efficacy of loxapine in intoxicated patients has not been deeply addressed.

Methods

This report describes a case series of 12 patients (with addiction or dual disorder) who received inhaled loxapine for symptoms of psychomotor agitation during intoxication with different substances (eg, alcohol, cannabis, or cocaine) at 1 center in Spain.

Results

Data from 12 patients were reviewed, 5 patients were attended at the emergency room, 4 at the addiction and dual diagnosis unit, and 3 were treated during hospitalization for detoxification. All patients were under effects of substances. They had substance use disorder (including cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, hypnotics, and hallucinogens), and almost all (90%) presented 1 or more psychiatric disorders. One dose of inhaled loxapine was effective in 9 patients (75%), and in 3 patients, a second dose was required. Only mild dizziness was reported in 1 patient after the second dose.

Conclusions

The acute agitation was effectively and quickly managed with inhaled loxapine in all intoxicated patients and enabled the appropriate clinical evaluation of the agitated state and the patient's management.

PLACID study: A randomized trial comparing the efficacy and safety of inhaled loxapine versus intramuscular aripiprazole in acutely agitated patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of inhaled loxapine compared with the intramuscular (IM) antipsychotic aripiprazole in acutely agitated patients with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder. PLACID was an assessor-blind, parallel-group trial conducted in 23 centres in the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, and Russia. Patients (aged 18-65 years) diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder experiencing acute agitation (Clinical Global Impression [CGI]-Severity score ≥ 4) while hospitalized or attending an emergency room were randomized to receive up to two doses of inhaled loxapine 9.1 mg or IM aripiprazole 9.75 mg (≥ 2 h between doses) during the 24-h study period. The primary efficacy endpoint was time to response (CGI-Improvement score 1 [very much improved] or 2 [much improved]). The primary analysis included randomized patients who provided informed consent (full analysis set [FAS]); the safety analysis included all patients who received study medication. The FAS comprised 357 patients (enrolled December 2, 2014 - October 31, 2016). The between-treatment difference in median time to CGI-Improvement response was 10 min (95% CI 0.0-30.0); p = 0.0005) in favour of inhaled loxapine (median [95% CI]: 50 min [30.0-50.0] vs 60 min [50.0-90.0] with IM aripiprazole); the difference was significant at 10 min (responders: 14% [loxapine] vs 4% [aripiprazole]; p = 0.001). There were no safety issues. Inhaled loxapine reduced agitation faster than IM aripiprazole, supporting its use as a first-line option for managing acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Joint BAP NAPICU evidence-based consensus guidelines for the clinical management of acute disturbance: De-escalation and rapid tranquillisation

The British Association for Psychopharmacology and the National Association of Psychiatric Intensive Care and Low Secure Units developed this joint evidence-based consensus guideline for the clinical management of acute disturbance. It includes recommendations for clinical practice and an algorithm to guide treatment by healthcare professionals with various options outlined according to their route of administration and category of evidence. Fundamental overarching principles are included and highlight the importance of treating the underlying disorder. There is a focus on three key interventions: de-escalation, pharmacological interventions pre-rapid tranquillisation and rapid tranquillisation (intramuscular and intravenous). Most of the evidence reviewed relates to emergency psychiatric care or acute psychiatric adult inpatient care, although we also sought evidence relevant to other common clinical settings including the general acute hospital and forensic psychiatry. We conclude that the variety of options available for the management of acute disturbance goes beyond the standard choices of lorazepam, haloperidol and promethazine and includes oral-inhaled loxapine, buccal midazolam, as well as a number of oral antipsychotics in addition to parenteral options of intramuscular aripiprazole, intramuscular droperidol and intramuscular olanzapine. Intravenous options, for settings where resuscitation equipment and trained staff are available to manage medical emergencies, are also included.

Response to inhaled loxapine in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder: PANSS-EC responder analyses

BACKGROUND

Efficacy of inhaled loxapine 5 or 10 mg in treating agitation was shown using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale - Excited Component (PANSS-EC) in two Phase III randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in 344 agitated patients with schizophrenia and 314 patients with bipolar I disorder (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00628589, NCT00721955).

AIMS

To examine the five individual items comprising the PANSS-EC and the percentage of patients achieving a clinical response (reduction of ≥40%) in PANSS-EC (Response-40) for these two studies.

METHOD

Response-40 was examined at the primary end-point (2 h) and over time.

RESULTS

Response-40 and each PANSS-EC item score were statistically significant v. placebo at 2 h and at each assessment time point for both doses.

CONCLUSIONS

Inhaled loxapine produced rapid improvement in agitated patients with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder, achieving Response-40 at the first assessment (10 min post dose). These results highlight the effectiveness of loxapine across all components of agitation as measured by the PANSS-EC.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

S.Z. is a member of the speakers bureau for Grupo Ferrer. L.Z. has been a speaker and grant recipient for Teva Pharmaceuticals. J.V.C. and D.A.S. were employees of Alexza Pharmaceuticals during execution of the studies, and are currently paid consultants for and have received stock and/or stock options from Alexza Pharmaceuticals. P.P.Y. is a full-time employee and receives stock options from Teva Pharmaceuticals.

COPYRIGHT AND USAGE

© The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license.

Clinical Trial Simulations and Pharmacometric Analysis in Pediatrics: Application to Inhaled Loxapine in Children and Adolescents

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Loxapine for inhalation is a drug-device combination product approved in adults for the acute treatment of agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder. The primary objective of this study was to develop a clinical trial protocol to support a phase I pharmacokinetic study in children aged 10 years and older. In addition, this report details the results of the clinical study in relation to the predicted likelihood of achieving the target exposure associated with therapeutic effect in adults.

METHODS

A nonlinear mixed-effects population pharmacokinetic model was developed using adult data and was adjusted for the targeted pediatric age groups by applying allometric scaling to account for body size effects. Based on this pediatric model, age-appropriate regimens to achieve loxapine exposures similar to the ones associated with therapeutic effect in the adult studies were identified via trial simulation. D-optimal design and power analysis were conducted to identify optimal pharmacokinetic sampling times and sample size, respectively.

RESULTS

The developed clinical trial design formed the basis of a phase I study to assess the safety and pharmacokinetics of loxapine for inhalation in children aged 10 years and older (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02184767).

CONCLUSION

The results of the study indicated that overall loxapine exposures were consistent with what had been predicted by the trial simulations. The presented approach illustrates how modeling and simulation can assist in the design of informative clinical trials to identify safe and effective doses and dose ranges in children and adolescents.

Efficacy of lurasidone in the treatment of agitation: A post hoc analysis of five short-term studies in acutely ill patients with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

This post hoc analysis evaluated the effect of lurasidone on agitation in acutely ill patients with schizophrenia.

METHOD

Patient-level data were pooled from five 6-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of fixed-dose, once-daily, oral lurasidone (40, 80, 120, or 160 mg/d). Agitation was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-Excited Component (PANSS-EC) score, utilizing a mixed model for repeated measurement analysis.

RESULTS

In patients with higher levels of agitation at baseline (PANSS-EC score≥14; n=773), lurasidone was associated with significantly greater improvement in least-squares (LS) mean PANSS-EC scores versus placebo at Day 3/4 (-1.6 vs -1.0; p<0.05), Day 7 (-2.3 vs -1.6; p<0.05), and at Week 6 endpoint (-5.5 vs -3.8; p<0.001; effect size=0.43). In patients with lower agitation at baseline (PANSS-EC score<14; n=754), LS mean PANSS-EC score change was significantly greater for lurasidone compared with placebo at Day 7 (-0.8 vs -0.1; p<0. 01) through Week 6 endpoint (-1.9 vs -0.9; p<0.001; effect size=0.31). Higher doses of lurasidone were notably more effective than lower doses in patients with more severe agitation at study baseline.

CONCLUSION

In this pooled analysis of 5 short-term studies, lurasidone provided early and sustained reduction in agitation, assessed using the PANSS-EC score, in patients with an acute exacerbation of schizophrenia. Higher doses of lurasidone were particularly effective in patients with more severe agitation at study baseline. Overall, these results suggest that lurasidone may be a useful treatment option for patients exhibiting agitation associated with acute psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT00088634 (Study D1050196); NCT00549718 (Study D1050229), NCT00615433 (Study D1050231); NCT00790192 (Study D1050233). Study D1050006 was completed prior to the requirement to register trials.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Single-Dose Inhaled Loxapine in Children and Adolescents

This multisite open-label study sought to characterize the pharmacokinetics and safety of a single dose of inhaled loxapine in children and adolescents. Loxapine powder for oral inhalation was administered via a single-use handheld drug device to children and adolescents (aged 10-17 years) with any condition warranting chronic antipsychotic use. Patients were dosed according to body weight and cohort (<50 kg [n = 15], 2.5 or 5 mg; ≥50 kg [n = 15], 5 or 10 mg); the first 6 patients (cohort 1) enrolled in each weight group received the lower dose. Patients were enrolled in the higher-dose group (cohort 2) after an interim pharmacokinetic and safety analysis of data from cohort 1. Blood samples were collected for 48 hours after dosing to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of loxapine and its metabolites. Safety was assessed using adverse event (AE), laboratory value, physical/neurologic examination, vital sign, electrocardiogram, suicidality, and extrapyramidal symptom assessment. Thirty patients were enrolled and evaluable for pharmacokinetics. Loxapine plasma concentrations peaked by 2 to 5 minutes in most patients; systemic exposure increased with dose in both weight subgroups. Loxapine terminal elimination half-life was ∼13 to 17 hours. The most common AEs were sedation and dysgeusia. Sedation was severe in 1 patient in the <50-kg group (2.5-mg dose) and 1 patient in the ≥50-kg group (5-mg dose). No AEs indicative of bronchospasm or other serious AEs were reported. Inhaled loxapine was rapidly absorbed and generally well tolerated in pediatric patients; no new safety signals were observed.

Patient preferences for medicine administration for acute agitation: results from an internet-based survey of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia in two Nordic countries

The objective was to elicit patient preferences for medicine administration method in the management of acute agitation episodes among patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. The patients' experiences of acute agitation episodes and their management of episodes were also explored. Data were collected via an anonymous, internet-based survey of residents in Denmark or Sweden with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (October 2014 to December 2014). Inclusion criteria were having a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and being above 18 years of age. The questionnaire included questions about preferences for medication attributes, experiences with pharmacological treatment for agitation and involvement in treatment plans. A total of 237 diagnosed patients (61 with schizophrenia; 176 with bipolar disorder) completed the questionnaire. Agitation episodes were experienced by 90% of the respondents. In total, 83% of the respondents reported having received treatment with tablets. When patients were presented with the attributes of an inhalation method, respondents stated that the fast onset of action, low risk of adverse reactions and least invasive form of drug delivery were positive attributes of treatment with inhalation. Inhalation is a new delivery route for treatment of acute agitation in patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Inhalation is the preferred treatment method for acute agitation among Danish and Swedish patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

Rationale and design of the PLACID study: a randomised trial comparing the efficacy and safety of inhaled loxapine versus IM aripiprazole in acutely agitated patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

The management of acute agitation manifesting in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder requires swift pharmacological intervention to provide rapid symptomatic relief and prevent escalation to aggression and violence. Antipsychotic medications are widely used in this setting and the availability of an inhaled formulation with deep lung absorption of the antipsychotic loxapine has the potential to deliver a faster onset of therapeutic effect than the available intramuscular formulations of antipsychotics.

METHODS

The efficacy of inhaled loxapine and the alternative antipsychotic aripiprazole delivered via intramuscular (IM) injection will be compared in the Phase IIIb PLACID study. Adults (18-65 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder presenting with acute agitation will be randomly assigned to open-label treatment in a 1:1 ratio. Clinical evaluation will be conducted by raters blinded to treatment assignment. The primary efficacy endpoint is time to response (defined as a Clinical Global Impression of Improvement [CGI-I] score of 1 [very much improved] or 2 [much improved]). Secondary endpoints will include the percentage of responders at different time points after dosing; the proportion of patients who receive 1 or 2 doses of study drug; time to second dose; time to rescue medication; satisfaction with study drug (evaluated using Item 14 of the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication); and safety and tolerability. Approximately 360 patients will be recruited with an interim analysis conducted once 180 patients have completed the study to decide whether to stop for futility or continue with or without an increase in the sample size up to additional 288 patients.

DISCUSSION

The PLACID trial will assess the efficacy and safety of inhaled loxapine with deep lung absorption compared with the IM antipsychotic, aripiprazole, in acutely agitated patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In the event that the median time to response of inhaled loxapine is significantly shorter than that of the intramuscular aripiprazole, the PLACID study has the potential to support the inhaled antipsychotic therapy as the standard of care in this setting.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study protocol was registered with the European Clinical Trials Database on the 31 October 2014 (EudraCT number 2014-000456-29 ).

The Role of Inhaled Loxapine in the Treatment of Acute Agitation in Patients with Psychiatric Disorders: A Clinical Review

Loxapine is a first generation antipsychotic, belonging to the dibenzoxazepine class. Recently, loxapine has been reformulated at a lower dose, producing an inhaled powder that can be directly administered to the lungs to treat the agitation associated with psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Thus, the aim of this narrative and clinical mini-review was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of inhaled loxapine in the treatment of acute agitation in patients with psychiatric disorders. The efficacy of inhaled loxapine has been evaluated in one Phase II trial on patients with schizophrenia, and in two Phase III trials in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Moreover, there are two published case series on patients with borderline personality disorder and dual diagnosis patients. Inhaled loxapine has proven to be effective and generally well tolerated when administered to agitated patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Two case series have suggested that inhaled loxapine may also be useful to treat agitation in patients with borderline personality disorder and with dual diagnosis, but further studies are needed to clarify this point. However, the administration of inhaled loxapine requires at least some kind of patient collaboration, and is not recommended in the treatment of severe agitation in totally uncooperative patients. Moreover, the drug-related risk of bronchospasm must always be kept in mind when planning to use inhaled loxapine, leading to a careful patient assessment prior to, and after, administration. Also, the higher costs of inhaled loxapine, when compared to oral and intramuscular medications, should be taken into account when selecting it for the treatment of agitation.

Effectiveness of Inhaled Loxapine in Dual-Diagnosis Patients: A Case Series

OBJECTIVES

Episodes of psychotic agitation are frequent in patients with dual diagnosis, that is, in patients with concomitant psychiatric and substance use disorders. Rapid intervention is needed to treat the agitation at a mild stage to prevent the escalation to aggressive behavior. Inhaled loxapine has been demonstrated to rapidly improve symptoms of mild-to-moderate agitation in adults with psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), but data on patients with dual diagnosis are scarce.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective review of data from a case series of patients with dual diagnosis, which were attended for symptoms of agitation while at the emergency room (n = 9), in the outpatient clinic (n = 4), or during hospitalization (n = 1) at 1 center in Spain. All patients received inhaled loxapine for treating the agitation episodes.

RESULTS

Data from 14 patients with dual diagnosis were reviewed. All patients had 1 or more psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, drug-induced psychotic disorder, posttraumatic stress, borderline or antisocial personality disorder, depression, or anxiety) along with a variety of substance use disorders (alcohol, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, hypnotics and antianxiety drugs, caffeine, or street drugs). Overall, only 1 dose of inhaled loxapine (9.1 mg) was needed to calm each patient during an acute episode of agitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Inhaled loxapine was rapid, effective, and well accepted in all dual-pathology patients presenting with acute agitation in the emergency setting. Inhaled loxapine facilitated both patient cooperation and an adequate management of his or her disease.

Monoamine oxidase and agitation in psychiatric patients

Subjects with schizophrenia or conduct disorder display a lifelong pattern of antisocial, aggressive and violent behavior and agitation. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme involved in the degradation of various monoamine neurotransmitters and neuromodulators and therefore has a role in various psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders and pathological behaviors. Platelet MAO-B activity has been associated with psychopathy- and aggression-related personality traits, while variants of the MAOA and MAOB genes have been associated with diverse clinical phenotypes, including aggressiveness, antisocial problems and violent delinquency. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association of platelet MAO-B activity, MAOB rs1799836 polymorphism and MAOA uVNTR polymorphism with severe agitation in 363 subjects with schizophrenia and conduct disorder. The results demonstrated significant association of severe agitation and smoking, but not diagnosis or age, with platelet MAO-B activity. Higher platelet MAO-B activity was found in subjects with severe agitation compared to non-agitated subjects. Platelet MAO-B activity was not associated with MAOB rs1799836 polymorphism. These results suggested the association between increased platelet MAO-B activity and severe agitation. No significant association was found between severe agitation and MAOA uVNTR or MAOB rs1799836 polymorphism, revealing that these individual polymorphisms in MAO genes are not related to severe agitation in subjects with schizophrenia and conduct disorder. As our study included 363 homogenous Caucasian male subjects, our data showing this negative genetic association will be a useful addition to future meta-analyses.

The effect of the medicine administration route on health-related quality of life: Results from a time trade-off survey in patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia in 2 Nordic countries

BACKGROUND

Agitation episodes are common among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Oral and intramuscular administration methods are commonly used in pharmacological treatment of acute agitation. Recently, an innovative inhalation product with loxapine(Adasuve®)has become available for treatment of acute agitation episodes associated with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. The objective for the present study was to investigate the impact of the pharmacological treatment's administration methods on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia in Denmark and Sweden using a time trade-off (TTO) approach.

METHODS

The TTO methodology was used to examine the HRQoL impact of administration method of pharmacological treatment of acute agitation. Data were collected via an internet-based survey, using an existing panel of respondents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

RESULTS

Respondents considered living with schizophrenia/ bipolar disorder, having one yearly agitation episode treated with inhaler better than living with the same conditions and receiving treatment with tablet or injection. The utility value was 0.762 for inhalable treatment, 0.707 for injection and 0.734 for tablet treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' preference for treatment delivery options showed that inhalation was associated with a significant utility gain when compared to injection or tablets. Inhalable loxapine may be a new tool for control of agitation episodes for strengthening the patient provider alliance when taking patient's preference for delivery method into consideration.

Platelet monoamine oxidase type B, MAOB intron 13 and MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a disorder that develops following exposure to traumatic experience(s), is frequently associated with agitation, aggressive behavior and psychotic symptoms. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) degrades different biogenic amines and regulates mood, emotions and behavior, and has a role in the pathophysiology of various neuropsychiatric disorders. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between different symptoms occurring in PTSD [PTSD symptom severity assessed by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), agitation and selected psychotic symptoms assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)] and platelet MAO-B activity and/or genetic variants of MAOB rs1799836 and MAOA-uVNTR polymorphisms in 249 Croatian male veterans with PTSD. Our study revealed slightly higher platelet MAO-B activity in veterans with PTSD with more severe PTSD symptoms and in veterans with agitation, and significantly higher platelet MAO-B activity in veterans with more pronounced psychotic symptoms compared to veterans with less pronounced psychotic symptoms. Platelet MAO-B activity was associated with smoking but not with age. Genetic variants of MAOB rs1799836 and MAOA-uVNTR were not associated with agitation and selected psychotic symptoms in veterans with PTSD. A marginally significant association was found between MAOB rs1799836 polymorphism and severity of PTSD symptoms, but it was not confirmed since carriers of G or A allele of MAOB rs1799836 did not differ in their total CAPS scores. These findings suggest an association of platelet MAO-B activity, but a lack of association of MAOB rs1799836 and MAOA-uVNTR, with selected psychotic symptoms in ethnically homogenous veterans with PTSD.

Inhaled loxapine for the urgent treatment of acute agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Acute agitation is a serious complication of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, which may escalate quickly to aggressive behavior. Rapid treatment is therefore important to calm and stabilize the patient, reducing the potential for harm to the patient and others, and allowing further assessment. Current guidelines suggest that where pharmacologic intervention is indicated, medication should preferably be non-invasive, should have a rapid onset and should control aggressive behavior in the short term without compromising the physician-patient relationship in the long term.

OBJECTIVES

This article presents an overview of a new inhaled formulation of the established antipsychotic loxapine, which aims to provide a more rapidly acting agent for the treatment of acute agitation without the disadvantages of intramuscular or intravenous injection.

DISCUSSION

Inhaled loxapine is rapidly absorbed with intravenous-like pharmacokinetics, with a time to maximum plasma concentration of 2 minutes and a plasma half-life of approximately 6 hours. In phase III studies, loxapine reduced agitation within 10 minutes of inhalation; agitation was decreased at all subsequent assessments during a 24-hour evaluation period. Inhaled loxapine was generally well tolerated with no undue sedation. The most common adverse events were dysgeusia, mild sedation, and dizziness. Inhaled loxapine is contraindicated in patients with asthma, COPD or other pulmonary disease associated with bronchospasm.

CONCLUSIONS

Inhaled loxapine rapidly reduces acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and is generally well tolerated. The non-invasive route of delivery respects the patient's autonomy, reducing the perception of coercion or forced medication. Inhaled loxapine is therefore an effective and appropriate option for use in the emergency setting in patients with acute agitation.

Pharmacological treatment of acute agitation associated with psychotic and bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

We used systematic review methodology to identify and evaluate short-term pharmacological interventions for agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

METHOD

We searched electronic databases for randomised controlled trials involving comparisons between current treatments for agitation, benzodiazepines, antipsychotics and placebo. The patient population was adults with agitation associated with psychotic or bipolar disorder treated in specialist mental health services. The outcome of interest was change in agitation measured by accepted standard scales. Paired meta-analyses and network meta-analyses are presented.

RESULTS

Seventeen randomised controlled trials were identified (n = 3841). Treatments included haloperidol, olanzapine, aripiprazole, risperidone and lorazepam. The primary outcome was change in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale Excited Component scores. Pair-wise comparisons suggest that after 60 min, olanzapine is superior to haloperidol; no other treatment was more effective than any other. At 120 min, loxapine 10 mg is more effective than loxapine 5 mg, and olanzapine is more effective than lorazepam. In the network meta-analyses, no treatment was superior to any other.

CONCLUSION

Because of limitations of available research, firm conclusions could not be drawn regarding the efficacy and safety of any identified intervention. Based on our results, there is no evidence that one drug is more effective or preferred over any other and treatment decisions could be made based on individual patient needs or costs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Pharmacotherapy of psychiatric acute and emergency situations: General principles]

The pharmacotherapy of psychiatric emergencies is essentially determined by the acuteness, the scene of the emergency, the diagnostic assessment and the special pharmacological profile of the drug used. As there are no specific drugs, syndromic treatment is carried out. For this, primarily antipsychotic drugs and benzodiazepines are available. This article gives an overview of the current state of treatment options for major psychiatric emergency syndromes, namely agitation, delirium, stupor and catatonia, anxiety and panic, as well as drug-induced emergencies.

Managing Agitation Associated with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder in the Emergency Setting

Introduction

Patient agitation represents a significant challenge in the emergency department (ED), a setting in which medical staff are working under pressure dealing with a diverse range of medical emergencies. The potential for escalation into aggressive behavior, putting patients, staff, and others at risk, makes it imperative to address agitated behavior rapidly and efficiently. Time constraints and limited access to specialist psychiatric support have in the past led to the strategy of “restrain and sedate,” which was believed to represent the optimal approach; however, it is increasingly recognized that more patient-centered approaches result in improved outcomes. The objective of this review is to raise awareness of best practices for the management of agitation in the ED and to consider the role of new pharmacologic interventions in this setting.

Discussion

The Best practices in Evaluation and Treatment of Agitation (BETA) guidelines address the complete management of agitation, including triage, diagnosis, interpersonal calming skills, and medicine choices. Since their publication in 2012, there have been further developments in pharmacologic approaches for dealing with agitation, including both new agents and new modes of delivery, which increase the options available for both patients and physicians. Newer modes of delivery that could be useful in rapidly managing agitation include inhaled, buccal/sublingual and intranasal formulations. To date, the only formulation administered via a non-intramuscular route with a specific indication for agitation associated with bipolar or schizophrenia is inhaled loxapine. Non-invasive formulations, although requiring cooperation from patients, have the potential to improve overall patient experience, thereby improving future cooperation between patients and healthcare providers.

Conclusion

Management of agitation in the ED should encompass a patient-centered approach, incorporating non-pharmacologic approaches if feasible. Where pharmacologic intervention is necessary, a cooperative approach using non-invasive medications should be employed where possible.

Assessment and management of agitation in psychiatry: Expert consensus

BACKGROUND

Psychomotor agitation is associated with different psychiatric conditions and represents an important issue in psychiatry. Current recommendations on agitation in psychiatry are not univocal. Actually, an improper assessment and management may result in unnecessary coercive or sedative treatments. A thorough and balanced review plus an expert consensus can guide assessment and treatment decisions.

METHODS

An expert task force iteratively developed consensus using the Delphi method. Initial survey items were based on systematic review of the literature. Subsequent surveys included new, re-worded or re-rated items.

RESULTS

Out of 2175 papers assessing psychomotor agitation, 124 were included in the review. Each component was assigned a level of evidence. Integrating the evidence and the experience of the task force members, a consensus was reached on 22 statements on this topic.

CONCLUSIONS

Recommendations on the assessment of agitation emphasise the importance of identifying any possible medical cause. For its management, experts agreed in considering verbal de-escalation and environmental modification techniques as first choice, considering physical restraint as a last resort strategy. Regarding pharmacological treatment, the "ideal" medication should calm without over-sedate. Generally, oral or inhaled formulations should be preferred over i.m. routes in mildly agitated patients. Intravenous treatments should be avoided.

Inhaled loxapine and intramuscular lorazepam in healthy volunteers: a randomized placebo-controlled drug-drug interaction study

Pharmacodynamic effects and safety of single‐dose inhaled loxapine administered via the Staccato^® system and intramuscular (IM) lorazepam in combination versus each agent alone were compared in a randomized, double‐blind, crossover study in healthy volunteers. Subjects received: inhaled loxapine 10 mg + IM lorazepam 1 mg; inhaled loxapine 10 mg + IM placebo; IM lorazepam 1 mg + Staccato placebo in random order, each separated by a 3‐day washout. Primary endpoints were maximum effect (minimum value) and area under the curve (AUC) from baseline to 2 h post treatment for respirations/min and pulse oximetry. Least‐squares means (90% confidence interval [CI]) for concomitant treatment versus each agent alone were derived and equivalence (no difference) confirmed if the 90% CI was within 0.8–1.25. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), sedation (100‐mm visual analog scale), and adverse events (AEs) were recorded. All 18 subjects (mean age, 20.4 years; 61% male) completed the study. There was no difference between inhaled loxapine + IM lorazepam and either agent alone on respiration or pulse oximetery during the 12‐h postdose period, confirmed by 90% CIs for AUC and C_min ratios. BP and HR were no different for inhaled loxapine + IM lorazepam and each agent alone over a 12‐h postdose period. Although the central nervous system sedative effects were observed for each treatment in healthy volunteers, the effect was greater following concomitant lorazepam 1 mg IM + inhaled loxapine 10 mg administration. There were no deaths, serious AEs, premature discontinuations due to AEs, or treatment‐related AEs.