title: The course of tardive dystonia in Afro Caribbean patients, a population-based study: the Curacao extrapyramidal syndromes study: VII.
abstract: Tardive dystonia (TDt) is a severe side effect of long-term use of antipsychotics. Previous publications suggested that TDt persist but the results are distorted by referral bias. In a population-based nine-year follow-up study (one baseline, six follow-ups) of chronic psychiatric patients (N=194) on a Caribbean island, the course of prevalent and incident TDt was measured with the Fahn-Marsden rating scale. Of the 26 patients (mean age 53.3 yrs) with TDt at baseline, 64% recovered, 20% persisted, and in 16% the course was intermittent. The severity of baseline TDt was significantly higher in persistent cases versus those who recovered (t=3.01, P<0.008). Of the 27 incident cases (cumulative 9-year incidence: 16.1%; mean age 57.6 yrs), 80% recovered, 8% persisted, and in 12% the course was intermittent. Predominantly affected were hands, eyes (blepharospasm), neck and mouth. The natural course of TDt is better than previously suggested but severe cases tend to persist.
authors.affiliation: Symfora Group Psychiatric Center, Amersfoort, The Netherlands. pn.van.harten@symfora.nl
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: van Harten
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Matroos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Os
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020821:Dystonic Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014900:West Indies / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents