Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare patients' preference for olanzapine orodispersible tablet (ODT) with oral conventional tablet (OCT).
Methods: A 12-week randomized, crossover, multinational, open-label study was conducted to estimate the proportion of patients preferring ODT or OCT. Outpatients with stable schizophrenia on OCT monotherapy were randomly assigned 1:1 to ODT or OCT. Compliance and drug attitude were measured using the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-10) and Medication Adherence Form (MAF) scales; tolerability and safety by Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry (AMDP-5) questionnaire and adverse event summary.
Results: A total of 175 patients answered a preference question: 106 (61%) preferred ODT and 48 (27%) preferred OCT (P<0.001 adjusted for treatment sequence); 21 (12%) expressed no preference. There was no significant change in DAI-10 with either formulation. MAF was above 75% in 94% vs. 93% of patients on ODC and OCT, respectively. Compliance as measured by tablet count was above 98% on both formulations. The adverse event profiles did not differ between formulations. Mean weight increase over 6 weeks on ODT was 0.8 kg and on OCT was 0.6 kg.
Conclusions: Given the importance of patients' preference for treatment planning and success, the ODT formulation should be routinely considered as a treatment option.