Use of Risperidone Long-Acting Injection to Support Treatment Adherence and Mood Stabilization in Pediatric Bipolar Patients: A Case Series

Sir: Recent studies have suggested that depot formulations of second-generation antipsychotics may be considered for controlling mood episodes in bipolar disorder (BD) patients who have relapsed due to medication nonadherence or failed to respond to standard therapies. The safety and effectiveness of risperidone long-acting injection (RLAI) have been demonstrated through clinical trials in stable BD adults, and the applicability of RLAI in frequently relapsing patients has also been shown. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved oral risperidone in 2007 for use in early-onset BD patients, no study has reported the utility of RLAI in youth.