Testing for diabetes in hospitalised patients prescribed antipsychotic drugs.
BACKGROUND
Studies using computer databases suggest that atypical antipsychotic agents are more likely to be associated with diabetes than are conventional drugs.


OBJECTIVE
To discover the extent of testing for diabetes mellitus in hospital in-patients prescribed antipsychotics.


METHODS
Prescription charts were screened to identify patients prescribed antipsychotics. Case notes were then searched for evidence of testing for diabetes.


RESULTS
In all, 606 patients were prescribed antipsychotics, of whom 250 (41.3%) had evidence of prior testing for diabetes. Patients prescribed atypicals were 40% more likely to have been tested than those prescribed conventional drugs (RR =1.4,95% CI1.1-1.9). Adjusted odds ratios v. conventional antipsychotics for conventional antipsychotics for testing were significantly higher for clozapine (OR=4.64,95% CI 2.42-8.90), olanzapine (OR=1.85,95% CI1.04-3.30) and antipsychotic polypharmacy (OR=2.96,95% CI1.59-5.52).


CONCLUSIONS
Testing for diabetes was undertaken in less than half of the patients studied. Testing was more common in those receiving atypical antipsychotics. Apparent differences in claimed causal association of the use of some antipsychotics with diabetes may in part reflect different rates of testing.
Pharmacy Department, Maudsley Hospital, London SE5 8AZ,UK.
David
D
Taylor
Corina
C
Young
Raadiyya
R
Esop
Carol
C
Paton
Rebecca
R
Walwyn
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose