title: Adjunctive mood stabilizer treatment for hospitalized schizophrenia patients: Asia psychotropic prescription study (2001-2008).
abstract: Recent studies indicate relatively high international rates of adjunctive psychotropic medication, including mood stabilizers, for patients with schizophrenia. Since such treatments are little studied in Asia, we examined the frequency of mood-stabilizer use and its clinical correlates among hospitalized Asian patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2001-2008. We evaluated usage rates of mood stabilizers with antipsychotic drugs, and associated factors, for in-patients diagnosed with DSM-IV schizophrenia in 2001, 2004 and 2008 in nine Asian regions: China, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore. Overall, mood stabilizers were given to 20.4% (n=1377/6761) of hospitalized schizophrenia patients, with increased usage over time. Mood-stabilizer use was significantly and independently associated in multivariate logistic modeling with: aggressive behaviour, disorganized speech, year sampled (2008 vs. earlier), multiple hospitalizations, less negative symptoms, younger age, with regional variation (Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore>Taiwan or China). Co-prescription of adjunctive mood stabilizers with antipsychotics for hospitalized Asian schizophrenia patients increased over the past decade, and was associated with specific clinical characteristics. This practice parallels findings in other countries and illustrates ongoing tension between evidence-based practice vs. individualized, empirical treatment of psychotic disorders.
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: Kian Hui
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Yiong Huak
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Phern-Chern
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Tor
authors.forename: Yu-Tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Chuan-Yue
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Edwin Ho Ming
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
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: Gabor S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ungvari
authors.forename: Tianmei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Si
authors.forename: Yan Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Eun Kee
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Kok Yoon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chee
authors.forename: Jitendra
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: Pichet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Udomratn
authors.forename: Naotaka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinfuku
authors.forename: Ee Heok
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Kua
authors.forename: Chay Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sartorius
authors.forename: Ross J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Baldessarini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001208:Asia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents