Outcomes of Medicaid Beneficiaries With Schizophrenia Receiving Clozapine Only or Antipsychotic Combinations

Objective:Patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia commonly receive nonrecommended drug regimens, including antipsychotic polypharmacy, sometimes in lieu of clozapine. This analysis compared utilization and cost outcomes for cohorts of Medicaid beneficiaries treated with clozapine monotherapy and with antipsychotic polypharmacy.Methods:Data were from the Medicaid MarketScan database. Patients (age 18–64) initiated second-generation antipsychotic polypharmacy or clozapine monotherapy between July 2006 and January 2009, had continuous Medicaid coverage from six months before (preperiod) through 12 months after (postperiod) treatment initiation, and had a diagnosis of schizophrenic disorder (ICD-9-CM code 295.XX). Study outcomes included disease-specific and all-cause hospitalization, emergency department use, and Medicaid payments. Logistic regression analyses and generalized linear models controlled for demographic factors, preperiod utilization, and comorbidities.Results:Characteristics associated ...