title: Aggressive behaviour in schizophrenic patients after abrupt treatment discontinuation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective study examined the demographic, clinical and pharmacological factors associated with aggressive behaviour after abrupt discontinuation of medication in schizophrenic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study reports on a survey of 402 schizophrenic patients, who had abruptly discontinued their medication and had been involuntarily hospitalized to Psychiatric Hospital of Attika. The survey utilized the Discontinuation-Emergent Signs and Symptoms Checklist (DESS) to assess the signs and symptoms that patients exhibited (Rosenbaum et al., Biol Psychiatry 1998;44:77), as well the Aggression Scale (Delgado-Escueta et al., New England J Med 1981;305:711) to estimate the aggressive behaviour. Demographic and clinical variables as well as variables related to pharmacological treatment have been also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses revealed that the presence of aggressive behaviour after abrupt drug discontinuation was associated positively with previous history of aggression, male gender , abrupt discontinuation of anticholinergics, delusions, nervousness or anxiety, elevated mood, irritability and negatively with negative symptoms. These predictors can correctly classify 76.3% of patients with aggressive behaviour and 64.0% of patients without aggressive behaviour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that abrupt discontinuation of medication in schizophrenic patients may lead to aggressive behaviour, being connected at least in the acute phase with particular demographic, clinical and pharmacological parameters.
authors: Psychiatric Hospital of Attika, Athens, Greece. fotini_kapsali@hotmail.com
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Kapsali
authors: A D
authors: AD
authors: Rabavilas
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Michopoulou
authors: G N
authors: GN
authors: Papadimitriou
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Papageorgiou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs