Characterising the evolution of antipsychotic polypharmacy and clozapine prescribing patterns in schizophrenia patients during psychiatric hospitalisations

Introduction A high prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) and low utilisation of clozapine is considered as inappropriate prescribing that can lead to suboptimal treatment, increased risk of poor response or adverse effects. Objectives To explore the evolution of prevalence of APP and ass...

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Main Authors: J. Lagreula, L. Elens, P. De Timary, O. Dalleur
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2022-06-01
Series:European Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S092493382200284X/type/journal_article
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author J. Lagreula
L. Elens
P. De Timary
O. Dalleur
author_facet J. Lagreula
L. Elens
P. De Timary
O. Dalleur
author_sort J. Lagreula
collection DOAJ
description Introduction A high prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) and low utilisation of clozapine is considered as inappropriate prescribing that can lead to suboptimal treatment, increased risk of poor response or adverse effects. Objectives To explore the evolution of prevalence of APP and associated factors as well as clozapine prescribing patterns between hospital admission and discharge. Methods We collected retrospective data on adult inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in 2020-2021 in 6 Belgian hospitals. Results Of the 516 patients analysed, APP prescribing significantly increased from 47.9% on hospital admission to 59.1% at discharge. Both on admission and at discharge, APP was associated with treatment with a first-generation antipsychotic, not being treated with an antidepressant nor a mood stabilizer, high antipsychotic dosage, increased number of psychoactive cotreatments and total medicines. A lower number of comorbidities (OR=0.68, CI=0.50-0.91), no treatment with benzodiazepines (OR=0.02, CI=0.01-0.09) nor with trazodone or sedative antihistamines (OR=0.06, CI=0.01-0.03) and two or more previous antipsychotic trials (OR=4.91, CI=1.30-18.57) was associated with APP on admission only. APP at discharge was more frequent in patients with antipsychotic adverse effects (OR=2.57, CI=1.10-6.00), prior clozapine use (OR=16.30, CI=3.27-81.22) and not involuntary admitted (OR=0.26 CI=0.08-0.88). Contrary to admission, treatment with benzodiazepines was associated with APP at discharge (OR=10.9, CI=3.38-5.38). Only 9.3% of admitted patients were treated with clozapine. Although 28.1% were eligible, clozapine was introduced to 10 patients leading to 11% being discharged on it. Conclusions Inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotics to schizophrenia patients persist after psychiatric hospitalisations and are associated with identifiable characteristics. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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spelling doaj.art-05b686ef1e8b4cdbab900ce9f616399b2023-11-17T05:06:53ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S98S9810.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.284Characterising the evolution of antipsychotic polypharmacy and clozapine prescribing patterns in schizophrenia patients during psychiatric hospitalisationsJ. Lagreula0L. Elens1P. De Timary2O. Dalleur3Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), Clinical Pharmacy Research Group (clip), Brussels, BelgiumUniversité Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Integrated Pharmacometrics, Pharmacogenomics And Pharmacokinetics, Brussels, BelgiumUniversité Catholique de Louvain, Institute Of Neuroscience, Brussels, BelgiumUniversité Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Clinical Pharmacy Research Group, Brussels, Belgium Introduction A high prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) and low utilisation of clozapine is considered as inappropriate prescribing that can lead to suboptimal treatment, increased risk of poor response or adverse effects. Objectives To explore the evolution of prevalence of APP and associated factors as well as clozapine prescribing patterns between hospital admission and discharge. Methods We collected retrospective data on adult inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in 2020-2021 in 6 Belgian hospitals. Results Of the 516 patients analysed, APP prescribing significantly increased from 47.9% on hospital admission to 59.1% at discharge. Both on admission and at discharge, APP was associated with treatment with a first-generation antipsychotic, not being treated with an antidepressant nor a mood stabilizer, high antipsychotic dosage, increased number of psychoactive cotreatments and total medicines. A lower number of comorbidities (OR=0.68, CI=0.50-0.91), no treatment with benzodiazepines (OR=0.02, CI=0.01-0.09) nor with trazodone or sedative antihistamines (OR=0.06, CI=0.01-0.03) and two or more previous antipsychotic trials (OR=4.91, CI=1.30-18.57) was associated with APP on admission only. APP at discharge was more frequent in patients with antipsychotic adverse effects (OR=2.57, CI=1.10-6.00), prior clozapine use (OR=16.30, CI=3.27-81.22) and not involuntary admitted (OR=0.26 CI=0.08-0.88). Contrary to admission, treatment with benzodiazepines was associated with APP at discharge (OR=10.9, CI=3.38-5.38). Only 9.3% of admitted patients were treated with clozapine. Although 28.1% were eligible, clozapine was introduced to 10 patients leading to 11% being discharged on it. Conclusions Inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotics to schizophrenia patients persist after psychiatric hospitalisations and are associated with identifiable characteristics. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S092493382200284X/type/journal_articleclozapinePsychiatric hospitalisationsAntipsychotic polypharmacyClinical pharmacy
spellingShingle J. Lagreula
L. Elens
P. De Timary
O. Dalleur
Characterising the evolution of antipsychotic polypharmacy and clozapine prescribing patterns in schizophrenia patients during psychiatric hospitalisations
European Psychiatry
clozapine
Psychiatric hospitalisations
Antipsychotic polypharmacy
Clinical pharmacy
title Characterising the evolution of antipsychotic polypharmacy and clozapine prescribing patterns in schizophrenia patients during psychiatric hospitalisations
title_full Characterising the evolution of antipsychotic polypharmacy and clozapine prescribing patterns in schizophrenia patients during psychiatric hospitalisations
title_fullStr Characterising the evolution of antipsychotic polypharmacy and clozapine prescribing patterns in schizophrenia patients during psychiatric hospitalisations
title_full_unstemmed Characterising the evolution of antipsychotic polypharmacy and clozapine prescribing patterns in schizophrenia patients during psychiatric hospitalisations
title_short Characterising the evolution of antipsychotic polypharmacy and clozapine prescribing patterns in schizophrenia patients during psychiatric hospitalisations
title_sort characterising the evolution of antipsychotic polypharmacy and clozapine prescribing patterns in schizophrenia patients during psychiatric hospitalisations
topic clozapine
Psychiatric hospitalisations
Antipsychotic polypharmacy
Clinical pharmacy
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S092493382200284X/type/journal_article
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