title: Use of anticholinergic drugs in patients with schizophrenia in Asia from 2001 to 2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to survey the use of anticholinergic medication (ACM) in Asia between 2001 and 2009 and examine its demographic and clinical correlates.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 6 761 hospitalized schizophrenia patients in 9 Asian countries and territories were examined between 2001 and 2009. The patients' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and the prescriptions of psychotropic drugs were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of ACM prescription decreased from 66.3% in 2001, to 52.8% in 2004 and 54.6% in 2009, with wide inter-country variations at each time period. Multiple logistic regression analysis of the whole sample showed that patients taking ACM presented with more severe positive, negative, and extrapyramidal symptoms. They were also more likely to receive first-generation and depot antipsychotics and antipsychotic polypharmacy, and less likely to receive second-generation ones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The wide variation in ACM prescription across Asia suggests that a combination of clinical, social, economic and cultural factors play a role in determining the use of these drugs. Regular reviews of ACM use are desirable to reveal the discrepancy between treatment guidelines and clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. xyutly@gmail.com
authors.forename: Y-T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: C-Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: T-M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Si
authors.forename: E H M
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y-L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ungvari
authors.forename: H F K
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: S-Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: M-Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: E-H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Kua
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: E-K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Udomratn
authors.forename: K-Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chee
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sartorius
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinfuku
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001208:Asia; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists