Question explored with the scientific record
What is the risk of akathesia and suicide and other serious symptoms of on invega sustana ? Are there any reports ? Studies ?
The short version: the evidence from these records shows that akathisia is a real and reported side effect of Invega Sustenna (paliperidone palmitate), but does not answer your question about suicide risk because no study here was designed to measure it in the population you are likely asking about.
One clinical trial reported akathisia in 4.4% of patients receiving the 3-month formulation, compared to 0.7% on placebo [1]. A larger comparative study found it in 13.1% of patients on the monthly injection [2]. That same study tracked suicide events: zero in the paliperidone group, three in the group receiving a different long-acting injectable [2]. But look closely at what that means. The trial was designed to show the drug works, not to catch rare or serious harms. A single case report in these records describes using the Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale to monitor a patient, confirming the symptom is clinically recognized [4]. The larger network meta-analysis, pooling 56 trials across many antipsychotics, found no significant differences in death or suicide attempts compared to placebo for any drug [3]. That sounds reassuring only if you trust that the trials were long enough and big enough to see the signal. A one-year observational study had a 34% dropout rate, and adverse effects were one listed reason [5].
The honest answer is that the published studies you can find are too small and too short to rule out serious harms like suicide. The mechanism is plausible: akathisia is a known extrapyramidal effect of these drugs, and severe akathisia is strongly linked to suicidality in the psychiatric literature (outside these records). Post-marketing reports to regulators, which are not included here, would be the place to look for the signal these trials cannot see.
My call: akathisia is a documented and common side effect; suicide risk is a known concern from the drug class that these studies were not built to measure. Confidence: moderate on akathisia, low on suicide from this evidence alone.
Sources used 5
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Efficacy and Safety of Paliperidone Palmitate 3-month Formulation in Schizophrenia: a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study
A phase-3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled relapse-prevention trial showing that paliperidone palmitate 3-month formulation (PP3M) delays relapse and improves clinical ratings in adults with schizophrenia compared with placebo, with tolerable safety.
DOI: 10.1016/S0924-9338(15)30222-4 -
A comparative study of paliperidone palmitate and risperidone long-acting injectable therapy in schizophrenia
Paliperidone palmitate (PP) demonstrated noninferiority to risperidone long-acting injectable (RIS-LAI) in treating acute schizophrenia in Chinese adults, with comparable safety and tolerability.
DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2011.02.001 -
Long-term antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
A comprehensive network meta-analysis of 56 randomized controlled trials (n = 10,177) comparing 18 antipsychotics and placebo for long-term relapse prevention in schizophrenia, finding olanzapine and several long-acting injectable agents to provide favorable relapse reduction wi…
DOI: 10.1192/bjpo.bp.115.002576 -
Antipsychotics in first-episode psychosis: Patterns of prescription in an inpatient unit
A single-case report showing that adding long-acting carbamazepine may reduce plasma levels and improve tolerability of paliperidone palmitate in a non-compliant patient with schizophrenia, without worsening psychiatric status.
DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1650 -
Long-acting paliperidone palmitate – interim results of an observational study of its effect on hospitalization
An observational, real-world study of 200 adults prescribed long-acting paliperidone palmitate (PP) in the UK found a significant reduction in hospital admissions and bed days over one year after PP initiation, though the study lacked a control group.
DOI: 10.1097/yic.0000000000000028