Oculogyric spasm in Asian psychiatric in-patients on maintenance medication.
BACKGROUND
The objective was to investigate the occurrence and characteristics of oculogyric spasm (OGS) in an Asian country.


METHODS
All 2035 Asian (88% Chinese, 7% Malays and 5% Indonesians) psychiatric in-patients in the state psychiatric hospital in Singapore were surveyed for occurrence of oculogyric spasm (OGS) over a two-month period.


RESULTS
Thirty-four patients (1.7%) developed OGS (53% male and 47% female). All the 34 patients had been on maintenance antipsychotic drugs for more than five months. Eighteen patients had recurrent attacks. The mean chlorpromazine equivalent daily dose for those patients with recurrent OGS was 511 mg. This was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the 277 mg daily dose received by those without recurrent OGS. Most (68%) of the attacks occurred between 1400-2000 h suggesting that OGS may have a diurnal variation.


CONCLUSIONS
OGS presenting as tardive dystonia may be due to a relative increase in cholinergic activity.
Tan
C H
CH
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Singapore.
Chiang
P C
PC
Ng
L L
LL
Chee
K T
KT
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia / Q000208:ethnology; D008296:Malaysia / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D015835:Ocular Motility Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012846:Singapore; D013035:Spasm / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents