title: Outcome of patients after market withdrawal of thioridazine: a retrospective analysis in a nationwide cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Thioridazine is a first-generation antipsychotic drug that was withdrawn from the market worldwide in 2005. The outcome of clinically stable schizophrenia patients who used thioridazine before market withdrawal was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nationwide registers in Finland were utilized to study thioridazine use, hospitalization rate and length of hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although thioridazine use continued to diminish year after year, the hospitalization rate remained constant until the withdrawal year of 2005, when the percentage of patients hospitalized for schizophrenia doubled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The market withdrawal of thioridazine predisposed many stable patients towards psychotic relapses. In order to minimize this kind of risk, an overall risk-benefit assessment and a clear-cut plan for the replacement of an antipsychotic should be established before market withdrawal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. maija.purhonen@kuh.fi
authors.forename: Maija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Purhonen
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koponen
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tiihonen
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanskanen
mesh_terms: D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005387:Finland; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D057051:Product Recalls and Withdrawals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013881:Thioridazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D013881:Thioridazine