Pharmacoepidemiology of patients hospitalized for somatoform disorders in psychiatric hospitals and departments.
OBJECTIVE
Pharmacological treatment is used in patients with somatoform disorders (SD) although the empirical evidence is scarce. We evaluated the current pharmacological treatment strategies used for psychiatric in-patients diagnosed with SD in Central Europe.


METHODS
Cross-sectional data of the pharmacological treatment, age, gender, and the primary psychiatric diagnosis of 70,566 in-patients were collected on 2 days in April and October of the years 1994-2006 in 57 psychiatric hospitals and departments.


RESULTS
Three hundred fifty nine patients corresponding to 0.51% of the psychiatric in-patient population were hospitalized for SD. 94.7% of the SD patients received psychopharmacological treatment including antidepressants (78.2%), neuroleptics (43.3%), tranquilizers (22.6%), hypnotics (15.6%), and anticonvulsants (12.3%). 61.3% were treated with psychotropic combinations, most commonly antidepressant and neuroleptic (36.2%). In addition, 63.7% received one or multiple somatic medications.


CONCLUSIONS
As compared to general medical and neurological in-patient populations, SD patients represent a small proportion of the psychiatric in-patient population. They commonly receive multiple psychotropic and somatic medications. The psychotropics used have predominantly sedating characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
SD patients are at risk of polypharmacy in psychiatry.
Mundt
Adrian
A
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Campus Mitte, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. adrian.mundt@charite.de
Ströhle
Andreas
A
Heimann
Hannah
H
Heinz
Andreas
A
Grohmann
Renate
R
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D019338:Polypharmacy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs