European Psychiatry - Volume 41 - April 2017

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S280 25th European Congress of Psychiatry / European Psychiatry 41S (2017) S238–S302
3 Vrije Universiteit, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences,
Section Clinical Neuropsychology, Amsterdam, Netherlands
4 Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Academic
Psychiatric Center, Early Psychosis Department, Arkin, Amsterdam,
Netherlands
∗ Corresponding author.
Introduction In a recent placebo-controlled, double blind
crossover trial (n = 52), we found significant beneficial effects on
memory (d = 0.30) and negative symptoms (d = 0.29) after 12 weeks
memantine augmentation in patients with clozapine-refractory
schizophrenia.
Aims In this open-label 1 year extension study, we report the
long-term effects and tolerability of memantine add-on therapy
to clozapine.
Methods Completers of the first trial who experienced benefi-
cial effects during 12 weeks of memantine treatment received
memantine for one year. Primary endpoints were memory and
executive function using the Cambridge neuropsychological test
automated battery (CANTAB), the Positive and Negative Syndrome
Scale (PANSS), and the Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale
(CGI-S).
Results Of 31 RCT completers who experienced beneficial effects
from memantine, 24 received memantine for one year. The small
improvement in memory found in the memantine condition in the
placebo-controlled trial remained stable in the extension study.
Executive function did not improve. After 26 weeks of memantine
add-on therapy to clozapine, PANSS negative symptoms (r = 0.53),
PANSS positive symptoms (r = 0.50), and PANSS total symptoms
(r = 0.54) significantly improved. Even further significant improve-
ment in all these measures was observed between 26 weeks and 52
weeks memantine, with effect sizes varying from 0.39 to 0.51. CGI-
S showed a non-significant moderate improvement at 26 weeks
(r = 0.36) and 52 weeks (r = 0.34). Memantine was well tolerated
without serious adverse effects.
Conclusions In the one-year extension phase, the favorable effect
of adjunctive memantine on memory was sustained and we
observed further improvement of positive, negative and overall
symptoms of schizophrenia.
Disclosure of interest P.F.J.S. reports personal fees from H. Lund-
beck A/S, outside the submitted work and he is a board member
of the Dutch Clozapine Collaboration Group. L.d.H., has received
investigator-led research grants or recompense for presenting his
research from Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen-Cilag and
AstraZeneca.
EW0511
Efficacy and tolerability of
aripiprazole intramuscular as
maintenance treatment in patients
with paranoid schizophrenia
B. Serván ∗, A. Montes , M. Machín , P. Gómez , J. García-Albea ,
S. González , J. Ibá˜nez , M.D. Morón
Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Psychiatry, Madrid, Spain
∗ Corresponding author.
Introduction Patients suffering from paranoid schizophrenia,
require long-term anti-psychotic treatment, which provide, in
addition to adequate efficacy both positive and negative symptoms,
a good safety and tolerability profile that would ensure adequate
adherence to prevent relapse.
Objectives To analyze the efficacy, tolerability and therapeutic
adherence over a year after the introduction of aripiprazole depot in
patients diagnosedwith paranoid schizophrenia previously treated
with other oral or depot anti-psychotics
Methods One-year prospective longitudinal study with a sam-
ple size of 23 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in outpatient
treatment. Study variables (baseline, 6 and 12months): Brief Psy-
chiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), clinical global impression (CGI), mean
dose of aripiprazole depot, previous treatments, adherence, relapse
rate, prolactin levels, sexual dysfunction, BMIs.
Results Twenty-three patients (71%men, 29%women) diagnosed
with paranoid schizophrenia were identified. Improvement was
obtained in the different study variables with statistically signif-
icant difference (P ≤ 0.05).
Conclusions Following the introduction of aripiprazole depot in
patients diagnosed with schizophrenia previously treated with
other oral or depot anti-psychotics in our study, we conclude that
maintaining therapeutic efficacy a better tolerability and safety
profile, better therapeutic adherence and consequently lower
relapse rate were achieved.
Disclosure of interest The authors have not supplied their decla-
ration of competing interest.
References
[1] Kane JM, Sanchez R, Perry PP, et al. Aripiprazole intramuscular
depot as maintenance treatment in patients with schizophre-
nia: A 52-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled study. J Clin Psychiatry 2012;73(5):617–24.
[2] Matt Shirley, CarolineM, Perry, Aripiprazole:. AReviewof Its Use
as Maintenance Treatment for Adult Patients with Schizophre-
nia. Drugs 2014;74:1097–110.
[3] Fleischhacker WW. Aripiprazole once-monthly for treatment
of schizophrenia: double-blind, randomised, non-inferiority
study. Br J Psychiatry 2014;205(2):135–44.
EW0512
Devaluation towards people with
schizophrenia in Italian medical,
nursing, and psychology students
L. Sideli∗ . Verdina , F. Seminerio , M.V. Barone , C. La Cascia ,
C. Sartorio , A. Mule , C. Guccione , D. La Barbera
Section of Psychiatry, Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical
Neuroscience, Palermo, Italy
∗ Corresponding author.
Introduction Discrimination towards people with schizophrenia
(PWS) by healthcare professionals is responsible of underdiagnosis
and undertreatment of these patients. Negative attitudes toward
PSW in health care professionals tend to be present since their uni-
versity studies and are related to their knowledge and experience
about the disease.
Objectives and aims To assess opinion towards PSW in medical,
nursing and psychology students and to investigate the relation
with their knowledge of schizophrenia and its causes.
Methods The study involved 133 medical, 200 nursing and 296
psychology undergraduate students. The opinion on mental illness
questionnaire, the Devaluation Consumers Scale, and the Devalua-
tion of Consumer Families Scale were administered to the sample.
ANOVA and ANCOVA were used to test differences between groups
and the relation between causal explanation of schizophrenia and
discrimination towards PWS.
Results Psychology students were more aware than the other
student of public stigma towards PWS and their families (F 12.57,
P < 0.001; F 32.69, P < 0.001) and expressed a more positive view on
treatments’ effectiveness (F 30.74, P < 0.001). Psychology (OR 0.48,
95% CI 0.26–0.88) and nursing (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.15–0.55) students
were more likely to identify psychological and social risk factors as
more frequent causes of schizophrenia (vs. biogenetics) and these,
in turn, were related to a better opinion towards social equality of
PWS.
Conclusions These preliminary findings underline the relevance
of biopsychosocial model of schizophrenia within stigma-
reduction programs for health science students.