Cost-effectiveness of psychotropic polypharmacy in routine schizophrenia care. Results of the ELAN prospective observational trial

Abstract Aims To analyse the costs and cost-effectiveness of psychotropic polypharmacy in comparison to antipsychotic monotherapy in patients with schizophrenia and schizo-affective disorder under real-world treatment conditions. Methods A prospective observational study including 374 adult psychiatric in-patients with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder was conducted. Psychotropic regimen, clinical outcomes, and quality of life were assessed before discharge and after 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Costs and outcomes of psychotropic polypharmacy in comparison to antipsychotic monotherapy were analysed by means of mixed-effects regression models adjusted for propensity scores. Net-benefit…