Adjunctive Mood Stabilizer and Benzodiazepine Use in Older Asian Patients with Schizophrenia, 2001–2009

Y.-T. Xiang; F. Dickerson; J. Kreyenbuhl; G. S. Ungvari; C.-Y. Wang; T.-M. Si; E.H. M. Lee; Y.-L. He; H.F. K. Chiu; S.-Y. Yang; M.-Y. Chong; C.-H. Tan; E.-H. Kua; S. Fujii; K. Sim; M.K. H. Yong; J. K. Trivedi; E.-K. Chung; P. Udomratn; K.-Y. Chee; N. Sartorius; N. Shinfuku

doi:10.1055/s-0031-1301292

Pharmacopsychiatry, Table of Contents

Pharmacopsychiatry 2012; 45(06): 217-222
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1301292

Original Paper

Adjunctive Mood Stabilizer and Benzodiazepine Use in Older Asian Patients with Schizophrenia, 2001–2009

Y.-T. Xiang

¹Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

²Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

,

F. Dickerson

³The Stanley Research Program at Sheppard Pratt, Baltimore, MD, USA

,

J. Kreyenbuhl

⁴Division of Services Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

⁵Veterans Administration Capitol Healthcare Network (VISN 5) Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Baltimore, MD, USA

,

G. S. Ungvari

⁶The University of Notre Dame Australia, Marian Centre, Perth, Australia

,

C.-Y. Wang

²Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

,

T.-M. Si

⁷Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Mental Health & Peking University Institute of Mental Health

,

E.H. M. Lee

¹Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

,

Y.-L. He

⁸Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

,

H.F. K. Chiu

¹Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

,

S.-Y. Yang

⁹Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

,

M.-Y. Chong

¹⁰Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taiwan, Republic of China

,

C.-H. Tan

¹¹National University of Singapore, Singapore

,

E.-H. Kua

¹¹National University of Singapore, Singapore

,

S. Fujii

¹²Hyogo Institute for Traumatic Stress (HITS), Kobe, Japan

,

K. Sim

¹³Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok View, Singapore

,

M.K. H. Yong

¹³Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok View, Singapore

,

J. K. Trivedi

¹⁴Department of Psychiatry, C.S.M.Medical University UP, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

,

E.-K. Chung

¹⁵National Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea

,

P. Udomratn

¹⁶Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand

,

K.-Y. Chee

¹⁷Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Tunku Abdul Rahman Institute of Neuroscience, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia

,

N. Sartorius

¹⁸Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programs, Geneva, Switzerland

,

N. Shinfuku

¹⁹School of Human Sciences, Seinan Gakuin University Fukuoka, Japan

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Objective:

This study surveyed the use of adjunctive mood stabilizers (MS) and benzodiazepines (BZD) in older Asian schizophrenia patients and examined their demographic and clinical correlates.

Method:

Information on hospitalized schizophrenia patients aged 55 years or more were extracted from the database of the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns (REAP) study. A total of 1 452 patients from 9 Asian countries and territories was included in the study. The patients’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and the prescriptions of antipsychotics, MS and BZD were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure.

Results:

The frequency of MS prescription was 26.7% in the pooled sample, with 25.5% in 2001, 26.9% in 2004 and 27.7% in 2009. The corresponding figures for BZD were 20.7%, 20.2%, 18.4% and 23.1%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis of the whole sample revealed that patients on MS were younger and more likely to be men and to have extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) and a longer duration of illness. Compared to patients in China, those in Japan were more likely to receive MS, while Korean patents were prescribed less MS. In contrast, there were no significant sociodemographic or clinical correlates of BZD use. Compared to patients in China, their Korean and Singaporean counterparts were more likely to be on BZD.

Conclusions:

The use of MS and BZD is not uncommon in older Asian patients with schizophrenia. Given the paucity of empirical data on the efficacy of these agents in individuals with schizophrenia of any age and concerns about added side effects in older patients in particular, the rationale for the prescription of these agents in this population warrants further examination.

Key words

schizophrenia - prescription patterns - mood stabilizers - benzodiazepines - older patients - Asia

Full Text

References

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