J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2014 Nov;53(6):370-378. 10.4306/jknpa.2014.53.6.370.

Clinical Correlates and Description Profiles of Antipsychotic Polypharmacy for Patients with Schizophrenia

• Choi J
• Kang SH
• Lee JI
• Ha Y
• Yoon HJ
• Park E
• Park DY

• KMID: 2383326
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2014.53.6.370

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Despite increasing use of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP), few studies have investigated APP for Korean patients with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to identify the sociodemographic and clinical correlates and recent prescription profiles of APP in schizophrenia patients.
METHODS
A total of 297 schizophrenia patients were recruited and interviewed using standardized assessment instruments in Seoul National Hospital. Differences in demographic and clinical characteristics between APP and antipsychotic monopharmacy (APM) groups were analyzed. The prescriptions of psychotropic drugs were collected by a review of medical records.
RESULTS
In comparison with the APM group, the APP group showed association with earlier onset, lower employment rate, and higher scores for Clinical Global Impression-Severity and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) (p<0.001). In particular, the BPRS positive (p<0.001) and affective symptom scores (p<0.001) of the APP group were higher those of the APM group. The most frequent combination pattern of APP was second generation antipsychotics (SGA)+SGA, followed by SGA+first generation antipsychotics (FGA), and SGA+SGA+FGA. For antipsychotics, it was risperidone+quetiapine, followed by clozapine+risperidone, risperidone+sulpiride, and risperidone+haloperidol.
CONCLUSION
The current study suggests that the usage of APP for schizophrenia could be related to symptom severity affected by positive and affective symptoms. The prescription profile reflects that the proportion of atypical antipsychotics on APP has increased.

Keyword

Antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP); Schizophrenia; Clinical correlates; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS); Prescription profiles

MeSH Terms

Affective Symptoms
Antipsychotic Agents
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale
Employment
Humans
Medical Records
Polypharmacy*
Prescriptions
Psychotropic Drugs
Schizophrenia*
Seoul
Antipsychotic Agents
Psychotropic Drugs

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