title: Low doses of antipsychotic drugs for hospitalized schizophrenia patients in East Asia: 2004 vs. 2001.
abstract: We test the hypothesis of increasing prevalence of low-dose antipsychotic use (300 mg/d chlorpromazine-equivalent) in East Asia and examine clinical correlates of conservative dosing. Rates of low-dose antipsychotic prescription were determined for 4535 patients with DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia in six East Asian countries and territories, with comparisons analysed for 2004 vs. 2001. Between 2001 (n=2399 subjects) and 2004 (n=2136 subjects), prescription rates for low doses of antipsychotic drugs (APDs) increased from 24.8% to 44.0% (p<0.001). Low doses were more likely among older patients (p=0.005), during first-lifetime hospitalizations (p<0.001), and among patients with less prominent delusions, hallucinations or disorganized speech (all p<0.05). Multivariate modelling indicated that low doses were strongly associated with older age, first admission, sampling year (2004>2001), less use of antipsychotic polytherapy (all p<0.001) and depot antipsychotics (p=0.009). Conservative dosing of APDs was increasingly prevalent in East Asia. Our findings suggest characteristics of patients who may be particularly likely to require low antipsychotic doses.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mental Health/Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore. kang_sim@imh.com.sg
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Hsin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chuan Su
authors.forename: Senta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Shu-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Mian-Yoon
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Tianmei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Si
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ling He
authors.forename: Eun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kee Chung
authors.forename: Yiong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huak Chan
authors.forename: Naotaka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinfuku
authors.forename: Chay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoon Tan
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ungvari
authors.forename: Ross J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Baldessarini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005202:Asia, Eastern; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents