title: Common use of antipsychotic polypharmacy in older Asian patients with schizophrenia (2001-2009).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to survey the use of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) in older Asian patients with schizophrenia and examine its demographic and clinical correlates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on hospitalized patients with schizophrenia aged 55 or older was extracted from the database of the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns study. Data on 1439 patients in 6 Asian countries and territories including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan were analyzed. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and antipsychotic prescriptions were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of APP prescription was 51.6% in the pooled sample with wide intercountry variations. Multiple logistic regression analysis of the whole sample showed that patients on APP had higher antipsychotic doses and also were more likely to receive first-generation antipsychotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of APP was common in older Asian patients with schizophrenia. Given the limited evidence supporting its efficacy, the potentially severe side effects and high costs, APP should be used with caution in this population. The reasons for and outcomes of the use of APP in this patient population merit further exploration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. xyutly@gmail.com
authors.forename: Yu-Tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Faith
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kreyenbuhl
authors.forename: Gabor S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ungvari
authors.forename: Chuan-Yue
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tian-Mei
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Si
authors.forename: Edwin H M
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yan-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Helen F K
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Shu-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Mian-Yoon
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Chay-Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Ee-Heok
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Kua
authors.forename: Senta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Michael K H
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Jitendra K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: Eun-Kee
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Pichet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Udomratn
authors.forename: Kok-Yoon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chee
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sartorius
authors.forename: Naotaka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinfuku
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology*; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000639:trends; D019338:Polypharmacy; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents