Risperidone and aripiprazole are metabolized by the cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6).
Individuals can be categorized as ultrarapid, normal, intermediate, or poor metabolizers
(UM, NM, IM and PM, respectively). Greater odds of switching from risperidone (but
not from aripiprazole) were previously reported among PM and UM. Importantly, the
duration of treatment up to switching was unknown.
Treatment duration up to switching was analyzed for risperidone (N=515) and for aripiprazole
(N=467). CYP2D6 *3, *4, *5, *6, *9, *10, *41 and *XN alleles were analyzed. Phenoconversion
due to co-medication with CYP2D6 strong inhibitors was also considered.
CYP2D6 genotypes and phenotypes significantly influenced plasma levels of aripiprazole
plus dehydroaripiprazole, and of risperidone plus 9-OH-risperidone. Considering PM
and (IM+NM+UM), 70% and 42% of switching probability from risperidone was found, respectively
(p=0.026). The risk of switching increased over time for PM (interaction term:1.01;
p=0.011), becoming significant after three months (HR:1.79; p=0.028). Similar results
were obtained when considering phenoconversion, although phenoconverted PM risk of
switch was constant over time. The incidence of discontinuation from aripiprazole
was increased at 3 months (OR:2.57; CI:1.15-5.58) in UM or PM when compared to NM
or IM.
Over one year, CYP2D6 PM presented an increasing risk to switch from risperidone over
time, the risk becoming significant after three months. PMs or UMs are associated
with increased discontinuation rates after 3 months aripiprazole treatment. This supports
preemptive genotyping for CYP2D6 prior to using risperidone and aripiprazole with phenoconversion also being taken
into account.