[Clinical and socio-demographic profile of patients with schizophrenia according to the antipsychotic treatment prescribed].
BACKGROUND
Data concerning the characteristics of patients with schizophrenia and their treatment in day hospitals are scarce. Guidelines for clinical practice are, however, regularly published. Recommendations from the 1994 Consensus Conference underline the necessity of antipsychotic monotherapy in the long term treatment of schizophrenia. In the US the Schizophrenia Patient Outcome Research Team (PORT) published in 1999 treatment recommendations concerning the use of antipsychotics in the acute phase and in maintenance. For maintenance, the recommended dose should be between 300 and 600 mg/day (CPZ equivalents) (recommendation n 4).


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to establish the socio-demographic and clinical profile of patients according to the dose of antipsychotic medication prescribed. The study also examines the use of antipsychotic polypharmacy.


METHODS
of the study. For this study, 116 patients treated in 12 different day hospital units were recruited. Inclusion criteria were: a DSM IV diagnosis of schizophrenia, being treated in a day hospital and having received antipsychotic medication for at last 2 months. Instruments were the MINI for a standardized diagnosis of schizophrenia, the CGI and the PANSS. Prescribed doses were transformed in chlorpromazine (CPZ) equivalents, in order to establish comparisons between patients.


RESULTS
The population sample was composed of 72 male (61.5%) and 44 female (38.5%) patients. The mean age was 36.4 years old. The mean education level was 11.3 years. A large majority (n=103, 88%) of patients was celibate, 65 patients (55.6%) lived on their own, the others lived with their family (45 patients, 38.5%) or with a spouse (7 patients, 6%). A large majority of patients (75.6%) received some form of state allowance. Only 1.7% were receiving a salary. The mean antipsychotic dose was 660 mg/day and 68% of patients were treated with an atypical antipsychotic (amisulpride, clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone). Thirty-two percent of patients were treated with doses between 600 and 1,000 mg/day and 24% with doses above 1,000 mg/day. When comparing patients according to the dose level they were receiving (<300 mg/day; 300 to 599 mg/day; and 600 to 999 mg/day;>1,000 mg/day), there was no significant difference between groups for socio-demographic variables. Patients treated with doses below 300 mg/day had a better psychosocial profile and were more often treated with loxapine, haloperidol and risperidone. Patients treated with doses above 1,000 mg/day were more often receiving clozapine. There was still a substantial number of patients treated with conventional antipsychotics in the above 1,000 mg/day range. Patients receiving an antipsychotic monotherapy were more often treated with clozapine or olanzapine and presented a higher rate of positive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
These results are discussed in comparison with present guidelines concerning the treatment of patients with schizophrenia.
Lamarque
I
I
Service du Dr Petitjean, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, 1, rue Cabanis, 75014 Paris.
Auffray
L
L
Villamaux
M
M
Demant
J-C
JC
Launay
C
C
Petitjean
F
F
Salomé
F
F
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000145:classification* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003710:Demography; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011584:Psychology; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents