At present,the need of antipsychotic treatments for the improvement of the condition of people with psychotic disorders is unquestionable.Despite the current availability of highly effective drugs with few secondary effects,the main cause behind hospitalization is still the lack of compliance.

Analysis of the determining variables behind the need for hospitalization and the influence of the types of antipsychotic treatments.

Retrospective and follow-up analysis of psychotic patients hospitalized in the Psychiatric Ward of the Hospital de Conxo (1998-2005).Three groups of patients:with Oral neuroleptics(170), with Depot typical neuroleptics (238),with Long-Acting Risperidone(60);and comparison based on treatment maintenance.

Males,day-to-day living with the family of origin and single status are predominant in all three groups,although in a higher proportion in the Long-Acting Risperidone one(75,71 and 85%respectively).Only 7% of the patients with Long-Acting Risperidone completed their university studies,62% were pensioners.The average duration of hospitalization periods is 21 days for the patients with Long-Acting Risperidone,23.3 days in the Oral group,29.5 days in the Depot group.The main cause behind re-hospitalization is the lack of compliance(68% in Depot group),whilst after the introduction of Long-Acting Risperidone,no compliance rate is 59%.If we compare the number of hospitalizations/year of the patients with Long-Acting Risperidone,before and after its introduction,the rate is reduced significantly from 0.89 to 0.73.

Despite the fact that patients treated with Long-Acting Risperidone show a more seriously ill condition and less social capacity,they have less need for hospitalization than patients treated with Depot neuroleptics.Median lengths of stay were shorter than patients in the other two groups,and are less re-hospitalized after the introduction of this treatment.