title: Previous hospital admissions and disease severity predict the use of antipsychotic combination treatment in patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although not recommended in treatment guidelines, previous studies have shown a frequent use of more than one antipsychotic agent among patients with schizophrenia. The main aims of the present study were to explore the antipsychotic treatment regimen among patients with schizophrenia in a catchment area-based sample and to investigate clinical characteristics associated with antipsychotic combination treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 329 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia using antipsychotic medication. Patients were recruited from all psychiatric hospitals in Oslo. Diagnoses were obtained by use of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I). Additionally, Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and number of hospitalisations and pharmacological treatment were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple hospital admissions, low GAF scores and high PANSS scores, were significantly associated with the prescription of combination treatment with two or more antipsychotics. The use of combination treatment increased significantly from the second hospital admission. Combination therapy was not significantly associated with age or gender. Regression models confirmed that an increasing number of hospital admission was the strongest predictor of the use of two or more antipsychotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previous hospital admissions and disease severity measured by high PANSS scores and low GAF scores, predict the use of antipsychotic combination treatment in patients with schizophrenia. Future studies should further explore the use of antipsychotic drug treatment in clinical practice and partly based on such data establish more robust treatment guidelines for patients with persistently high symptom load.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, P.O. Box 85 Vinderen, Oslo 0319, Norway. albert.bolstad@diakonsyk.no
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bolstad
authors.forename: Ole A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Andreassen
authors.forename: Jan I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Røssberg
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Agartz
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melle
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tanum
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents