A multicenter, single-arm, open-label interventional study of adherence to brexpiprazole during switching from previous antipsychotic drugs in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

The rate of medication persistence was examined in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder during switching from previously administered antipsychotics to brexpiprazole, a new dopamine D receptor partial agonist. A multicenter, single-arm, open-label 24-week interventional study was conducted, consisting of two 12-week consecutive periods: an initial switch (by plateau cross-titration) with the subsequent period, followed by a second maintenance period. Prior antipsychotics were olanzapine or risperidone/paliperidone.

Costs of psychotropics for outpatients with bipolar disorder in Japan; the MUSUBI 2016 survey.

Background: Although the costs of bipolar disorder (BD) treatments are associated with local and universal factors, data from non-Western countries remain limited. The associations between clinical features and costs of outpatient pharmacotherapy have not been well characterize. To estimate the costs of outpatient BD treatments and their associations with clinical features in a Japanese population, we investigated with special reference to the costs of medicines constituted the bulk of the total healthcare expense and were steadily increasing.

Clinical characteristics and prescriptions associated with a 2-year course of rapid cycling and euthymia in bipolar disorder: a multicenter treatment survey for bipolar disorder in psychiatric clinics.

Objective: In patients with bipolar disorder (BD), rapid cycling (RC) presents a risk for a more severe illness, while euthymia (EUT) has a better prognosis. This study focused on the progression of RC and EUT, which are contrasting phenomenology, and aimed to clarify the influence of patient backgrounds and prescription patterns on these different progressions, using a large sample from the first and second iterations of a multicenter treatment survey for BD in psychiatric clinics (MUSUBI).

Methods: In the cross-sectional study (MUSUBI), a questionnaire based on a retrospective medical record survey of consecutive BD cases ( = 2,650) was distributed.

Effect of age and sex on prescriptions for outpatients with bipolar disorder in the MUSUBI study: a cross‑sectional study.

Background: Childbearing-aged female patients and elderly patients with bipolar disorder need special attention for pharmacological treatments, but current guidelines provide little information on their pharmacological treatment. In particular, the risk/benefit balance of pharmacological treatment for childbearing-aged females with bipolar disorder is a growing concern. Therefore, we aimed to address the effect of age and sex on psychotropic drug prescription for outpatients with bipolar disorder.

Determinants of three-year clinical outcomes in real-world outpatients with bipolar disorder: The multicenter treatment survey for bipolar disorder in psychiatric outpatient clinics (MUSUBI).

Background: There is limited evidence regarding predictors of long-term clinical outcomes in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). The objective of this study was to describe 3-year clinical outcomes and identify their predictors from participants in the multicenter treatment survey for BD in psychiatric outpatient clinics (MUSUBI).

Methods: The MUSUBI was a naturalistic study investigating patients with BD in real-world clinical practice.

Relationship Between Employment Status and Unstable Periods in Outpatients with Bipolar Disorder: A Multicenter Treatment Survey for Bipolar Disorder in Psychiatric Outpatient Clinics (MUSUBI) Study.

Purpose: To clarify the relationship between the length of unstable periods and employment status of patients with bipolar disorder.

Patients And Methods: Medical records of outpatients with bipolar disorder who visited 176 member clinics of the Japanese Association of Neuro-Psychiatric Clinics were investigated during September-October 2016, and details of their medical care and employment were surveyed using a questionnaire. The odds ratios (ORs) of length of unstable period and unemployment were analyzed with a logistic regression model.

Real-world clinical predictors of manic/hypomanic episodes among outpatients with bipolar disorder.

Background: Bipolar disorder is a mental illness in which manic and depressive states are repeated, causing psychosocial dysfunction. Manic/hypomanic episodes cause problems with interpersonal, social and financial activities, but there is limited evidence regarding the predictors of manic/hypomanic episodes in real-world clinical practice.

Methods: The multicenter treatment survey on bipolar disorder (MUSUBI) in Japanese psychiatric clinics was administered in an observational study that was conducted to accumulate evidence regarding bipolar disorder in real-world clinical practice.

Differences in prescription patterns between real-world outpatients with bipolar I and II disorders in the MUSUBI survey.

Objective: There is limited information available on the prescription of psychotropic agents to patients with bipolar I (BD-I) and bipolar II disorder (BD-II). The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of drug therapy in BD-I and BD-II outpatients, particularly with regard to antidepressants.

Methods: In 2017, the MUlticenter treatment SUrvey for BIpolar disorder in Japanese psychiatric clinics (MUSUBI) study collected data on current mental status, medications, and other factors from 2774 outpatients with BD-I or BD-II.

Japanese Project for Telepsychiatry Evaluation during COVID-19: Treatment Comparison Trial (J-PROTECT): Rationale, design, and methodology.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the mental health of people around the world. Anxiety related to infection, stress and stigma caused by the forced changes in daily life have reportedly increased the incidence and symptoms of depression, anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Under such circumstances, telepsychiatry is gaining importance and attracting a great deal of attention.

Relationship Between Mood Episode and Employment Status of Outpatients with Bipolar Disorder: Retrospective Cohort Study from the Multicenter Treatment Survey for Bipolar Disorder in Psychiatric Clinics (MUSUBI) Project.

Objective: The objective of this study was to clarify the relationship between mood episode and employment in patients with bipolar disorder to help improve their employment status.

Methods: All medical records of patients with bipolar disorder who visited 176 member clinics of the Japanese Association of Neuro-Psychiatric Clinics in September-October 2016 were investigated in September-October 2017. Details of the medical care received were investigated using a survey sheet, which included employment status.

The Use of the Japanese Public Financial Support Has Positive Impact on Persistence with Outpatient Treatments for Schizophrenia: Single-center Retrospective Cohort Study in Japan.

Purpose: One of the challenges of treating schizophrenia is how to improve persistence with outpatient treatments. Lengthening community life by improving persistence and preventing relapse and rehospitalization can have positive influence on the patients' personal recovery and well-being. In Japan, there is "Medical Expenses for Services and Supports for Persons with Disabilities" ("Jiritsu-shien-iryo-hi" in Japanese) which is the public financial support system for psychiatric outpatient treatments.

Real-world clinical features of and antidepressant prescribing patterns for outpatients with bipolar disorder.

Background: Several evidence-based practice guidelines have been developed to better treat bipolar disorder. However, the articles cited in these guidelines were not sufficiently based on real-world clinical practice.

Methods: The MUlticenter treatment SUrvey on BIpolar disorder in Japanese psychiatric clinics (MUSUBI) is a study conducted to accumulate evidence on the real-world practical treatment of bipolar disorder.

Factors Associated with Doses of Mood Stabilizers in Real-world Outpatients with Bipolar Disorder.

Objective: : Several evidence-based practice guidelines have been developed to better treat bipolar disorder. However, the articles cited in these guidelines were based on clinical or basic studies with specific conditional settings and were not sufficiently based on real-world clinical practice. In particular, there was little information on the doses of mood stabilizers.

Estimated model of psychotropic polypharmacy for bipolar disorder: Analysis using patients' and practitioners' parameters in the MUSUBI study.

Objective: This study aims to clarify the relevant factors influencing practitioners' methods of prescribing medications for bipolar disorder, in a nation-wide survey in Japan.

Methods: The clinical records of 3130 outpatients with bipolar disorder were consecutively reviewed from 176 psychiatric outpatient clinics. Fifteen parameters, that is, five patients' including five general characteristics (sex, age, education, occupation, and social adjustment), five patients' aspects of mental functioning (onset age, comorbid mental illness, rapid-cycling, psychopathologic severity, and followed-up years), and five practitioners' characteristics (sex, age, specialist experience, clinic standing years, and location), were evaluated.

Clinical features related to rapid cycling and one-year euthymia in bipolar disorder patients: A multicenter treatment survey for bipolar disorder in psychiatric clinics (MUSUBI).

Objective: Rapid cycling (RC) presents a risk of greater severity in bipolar disorder (BD), whereas patients with one-year euthymia (OYE) have better prognosis. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical background and prescription characteristics of patients in the two opposing states of current RC and OYE from a large sample (N = 2609) in a multicenter treatment survey on BD in psychiatric clinics (MUSUBI).

Methods: MUSIBI was a cross-sectional study wherein questionnaires, based on a retrospective medical record survey of consecutive cases of BD, were distributed to 176 outpatient clinics.

Factors Associated with Non-Remission in Bipolar Disorder: The Multicenter Treatment Survey for Bipolar Disorder in Psychiatric Outpatient Clinics (MUSUBI).

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with non-remission in bipolar disorder.

Patients And Methods: The multicenter treatment survey for bipolar disorder in psychiatric outpatient clinics (MUSUBI) study used a questionnaire administered at 176 clinics throughout Japan from September to October 2016. Clinic psychiatrists performed a retrospective medical record survey of consecutive cases with bipolar disorder.

Factors influencing nursing home placement of patients with dementia: a retrospective, single-centre study in Japan.

Aim: This was an exploratory study to examine the factors influencing nursing home placement (NHP) in Japan.

Methods: For this analysis, 633 patients were selected. The data were collected from the clinical records of each patient.

An observational study of duloxetine versus SSRI monotherapy in Japanese patients with major depressive disorder: subgroup analyses of treatment effectiveness for pain, depressive symptoms, and quality of life.

Objective: To examine how clinical and demographic patient baseline characteristics influence effectiveness of duloxetine versus selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment, in real-world Japanese clinical settings of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and associated painful physical symptoms (PPS).

Methods: This was a multicenter, 12-week, prospective, observational study in patients with MDD (Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology ≥16) and at least moderate PPS (Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form [BPI-SF] average pain ≥3). Patients received duloxetine or SSRIs (escitalopram, sertraline, paroxetine, or fluvoxamine).

An observational study of duloxetine versus SSRI monotherapy for the treatment of painful physical symptoms in Japanese patients with major depressive disorder: primary analysis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of duloxetine monotherapy, in comparison with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) monotherapy, in the treatment of painful physical symptoms (PPS) in Japanese patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) in real-world clinical settings.

Methods: This was a multicenter, 12-week prospective, observational study. This study enrolled MDD patients with at least moderate PPS, defined as a Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) average pain score (item 5) ≥3.

Comparative study of treatment continuation using second-generation antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Background: Effectiveness of a drug is a key concept dependent on efficacy, safety, and tolerability. Time to discontinuation of treatment is also representative of effectiveness. We investigated differences in treatment discontinuation among newly started second-generation antipsychotics in the clinical setting.