Off-label use of antipsychotics: are we mad?

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome and serotonin syndrome: a comparative bibliometric analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to analyze and map scientific literature on Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) and Serotonin Syndrome (SS) from prestigious, internationally indexed journals. The objective was to identify key topics, impactful articles, prominent journals, research output, growth patterns, hotspots, and leading countries in the field, providing valuable insights for scholars, medical students, and international funding agencies.

METHODS

A systematic search strategy was implemented in the PubMed MeSH database using specific keywords for NMS and SS. The search was conducted in the Scopus database, renowned for its extensive coverage of scholarly publications. Inclusion criteria comprised articles published from 1950 to December 31st, 2022, restricted to journal research and review articles written in English. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel for descriptive analysis, and VOSviewer was employed for bibliometric mapping.

RESULTS

The search yielded 1150 articles on NMS and 587 on SS, with the majority being case reports. Growth patterns revealed a surge in NMS research between 1981 and 1991, while SS research increased notably between 1993 and 1997. Active countries and journals differed between NMS and SS, with psychiatry journals predominating for NMS and pharmacology/toxicology journals for SS. Authorship analysis indicated higher multi-authored articles for NMS. Top impactful articles focused on review articles and pathogenic mechanisms. Research hotspots included antipsychotics and catatonia for NMS, while SS highlighted drug interactions and specific medications like linezolid and tramadol.

CONCLUSIONS

NMS and SS represent rare but life-threatening conditions, requiring detailed clinical and scientific understanding. Differential diagnosis and management necessitate caution in prescribing medications affecting central serotonin or dopamine systems, with awareness of potential drug interactions. International diagnostic tools and genetic screening tests may aid in safe diagnosis and prevention. Reporting rare cases and utilizing bibliometric analysis enhance knowledge dissemination and research exploration in the field of rare drug-induced medical conditions.

Prescribing and deprescribing trends in schizophrenia: An overview of inpatients in Belgium and in the Canadian province of Québec

Although switching to antipsychotic monotherapy improves patient outcomes in schizophrenia, antipsychotic deprescribing is rarely performed, and its use varies between countries, as do psychotropic prescribing patterns. This study aimed to determine factors associated with antipsychotic deprescribing at discharge after a psychiatric hospitalization and to compare psychotropic prescribing patterns between Belgium and Québec, Canada. Data on adult inpatients with schizophrenia were collected retrospectively in seven hospitals. At discharge, the number of antipsychotics had decreased in 22.2% of the 63 Canadian patients and 9.9% of the 516 Belgian patients. A number of factors increased the likelihood of antipsychotic deprescribing: a hospitalization in the Canadian hospital (aOR = 4.13, 95% CI 1.48-11.5), living in a residential facility (aOR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.05-4.39), ≥2 previous antipsychotic trials (aOR = 15.38, 95% CI 3.62-65.36), having an antipsychotic side effect (aOR = 1.86, 95% CI 1.01-3.44) and being in a general hospital (aOR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.09-4.75). Patients on a long-acting injectable antipsychotic (aOR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.26-0.98), with prior clozapine use (aOR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.13-0.95), greater antipsychotic exposure (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.2-0.61) and more hypno-sedatives (aOR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.43-0.98), were less likely to be deprescribed. Specific deprescribing interventions could target patients who are less likely to be deprescribed.

Predicting treatment resistance from first-episode psychosis using routinely collected clinical information

Around a quarter of people who experience a first episode of psychosis (FEP) will develop treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), but there are currently no established clinically useful methods to predict this from baseline. We aimed to explore the predictive potential for clozapine use as a proxy for TRS of routinely collected, objective biomedical predictors at FEP onset, and to externally validate the model in a separate clinical sample of people with FEP. We developed and externally validated a forced-entry logistic regression risk prediction Model fOr cloZApine tReaTment, or MOZART, to predict up to 8-year risk of clozapine use from FEP using routinely recorded information including age, sex, ethnicity, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase levels, and lymphocyte counts. We also produced a least-absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) based model, additionally including neutrophil count, smoking status, body mass index, and random glucose levels. The models were developed using data from two UK psychosis early intervention services (EIS) and externally validated in another UK EIS. Model performance was assessed via discrimination and calibration. We developed the models in 785 patients, and validated externally in 1,110 patients. Both models predicted clozapine use well at internal validation (MOZART: C 0.70; 95%CI 0.63,0.76; LASSO: 0.69; 95%CI 0.63,0.77). At external validation, discrimination performance reduced (MOZART: 0.63; 0.58,0.69; LASSO: 0.64; 0.58,0.69) but recovered after re-estimation of the lymphocyte predictor (C: 0.67; 0.62,0.73). Calibration plots showed good agreement between observed and predicted risk in the forced-entry model. We also present a decision-curve analysis and an online data visualisation tool. The use of routinely collected clinical information including blood-based biomarkers taken at FEP onset can help to predict the individual risk of clozapine use, and should be considered equally alongside other potentially useful information such as symptom scores in large-scale efforts to predict psychiatric outcomes.

Off-label use of antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood-stabilizers in psychiatry

Off-label drug prescribing in psychiatry is increasing. Many psychotropic drugs are approved for psychopathologic syndromes rather than based on international standard diagnostic classification systems which might facilitate the clinical decision for off-label prescriptions. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence and category of off-label use of psychotropic drugs. The study was conducted in 10 psychiatric hospitals in Germany over a period of 2 years. Prescription data of all patients were retrospectively analyzed after identification of antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood-stabilizers, which were classified as off-label according to the German prescribing information and diagnostic classification according to ICD-10. In total, 53,909 patient cases (46% female) with a mean age of 46.8 (SD: 18) years were included in the study. 30.2% of the cases received at least one off-label prescription of a psychotropic drug during hospital stay. Off-label prevalence rates differed markedly between different diagnostic groups (ICD-10 F0/G3: 47%, F1: 33%, F2: 25%, F3: 21%, F4: 27%, F6: 46%, F7: 84%). The most often off-label prescribed drugs were quetiapine and mirtazapine for organic mental disorders (F0/G3), valproate and quetiapine in patients with disorders due to psychoactive substance use (F1), valproate in patients with psychotic disorders (F2), and risperidone and olanzapine in patients with affective disorders (F3). The prevalence rate of psychotropic off-label prescriptions is high if restricted to product description and ICD-10 diagnosis. Therefore, current psychiatric guidelines should drug-specifically issue this problem by defining psychiatric off-label indications based on a clear benefit-risk assessment.

Psychotropic Drug Prescription in Children and Adolescents: Approved Medications in European Countries and the United States

Objectives: The decision to prescribe a medication and the choice of which one are often complex, particularly in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry where evidence is scarce. The aim of this review is to provide a synthesis of psychotropic drugs approved in children and adolescents for psychiatric indications in several countries. Methods: All psychopharmacological treatments used in child and adolescent psychiatry, approved by at least one regulatory agency from Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France, the European Union, or the United States, were considered. A comprehensive review of the summaries of product characteristics was performed. Results: A total of 143 psychotropic drugs were included: 47 anxiolytics/hypnotics, 45 antidepressants, 37 antipsychotics, 10 medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 4 mood stabilizers. Only a few of these drugs were approved for use in children or adolescents (38%) at least for a single psychiatric diagnosis in at least one country. The therapeutic class with the lowest rate of approved status was antidepressants (20%), followed by mood stabilizers (25%), anxiolytics/hypnotics (28%), antipsychotics (57%), and medications for ADHD (100%). Important differences in approved diagnoses, ages, and doses were observed between regulatory agencies. Tables presenting drugs for approved diagnoses based on age and regulatory agencies are presented in this article. Drugs classified by regulatory agencies, with complete data on diagnoses, ages, doses, pharmaceutical forms, and particular restrictions, are presented as Supplementary Material. Conclusion: This article provides an overview to prescribers with respect to the approved medications in children and adolescents in selected European countries and the United States.

Prescription Pattern and Off-Label Use of Antipsychotics in a Middle Eastern Population

Background: Understanding the prescription pattern of medications in a population can help reveal the potential usage scenarios, including off-label prescriptions, and the need for precision medicine implementation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prescription pattern and off-label use of antipsychotics in the Qatari population.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of Qatari patients who received antipsychotic prescriptions from the major healthcare providers in the country during the 2-year period between June 2018 and May 2020. The number of patients, prescriptions dispensed, and clinical indications were collected and statistical analysis using chi-square test was conducted.

Results: Among the 9,349 Qatari patients prescribed with antipsychotics during the study period, the majority were female (57%; p < 0.001) and were in the age categories 20–39 and 30–39 years (both 22%; p < 0.001). Among the 35,938 antipsychotic prescriptions dispensed, second-generation antipsychotics were the most highly prescribed (59%), specifically, quetiapine (16%) and olanzapine (12%), but the first-generation antipsychotic prochlorperazine (13%) was also highly prescribed. Most of the indications of antipsychotics (69%) were for off-label use such as for controlling chronic diseases, sleeping disorders, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and irritable bowel syndrome.

Conclusion: Non-mental health and off-label prescriptions of several antipsychotics were observed. Integration of this data with pharmacogenomic and clinical outcome data will help in determining the course of action for implementing personalized and precision medicine in the country and beyond.

Time to Treatment Discontinuation in German Patients with Schizophrenia: Long-Acting Injectables versus Oral Antipsychotics

Background and Objective

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are associated with better treatment adherence and persistence than oral antipsychotics (OAPs) in patients with schizophrenia. However, real-world evidence assessing the impact of treatment with LAIs in Germany is limited. To fill this gap, we compared antipsychotic medication adherence and risk of treatment discontinuation (TD) among schizophrenia patients newly initiated on LAI or who switched their OAP regimen (overall cohort; OC).

Methods

Claims data of German schizophrenia patients who initiated LAIs or switched their OAP during 2012–2016 (index date) were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment switch was defined as add-on medication to existing prescription or terminating the existing prescription and initiating another OAP. Adherence and time to treatment discontinuation (TTD) were estimated. Determinants of treatment discontinuation were analyzed using two Cox regression models. Model 1 controlled for age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI); model 2 also included insurance status, and medication, visit, and psychiatric inpatient stay costs. Sensitivity analysis on patients who terminated existing prescriptions and initiated new OAPs (complete switch cohort; CSC) was performed.

Results

In OC (n = 2650), LAI users had better adherence (35.4% vs. 11.6%), persistence (no 60-day gap; 40.7% vs. 19.8%), and longer TTD (median [95% confidence interval (CI)] 216 [193–249] vs. 50 [46–56] days) than OAP users. OAP usage (hazard ratio [HR] 1.89, 95% CI 1.73–2.06; p < 0.001) and greater CCI (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.07; p = 0.023) were associated with greater risk of TD in model 1. Model 2 showed similar results. LAI users in CSC also had better adherence, persistence, and longer TTD. In CSC too, OAP usage and greater CCI were associated with greater risk of TD in model 1, but only CCI was significant in model 2. Higher pre-index psychiatric inpatient costs were associated with lower risk of TD (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98–1.00; p = 0.014).

Limitations

Inherent limitations of claims data and lack of control on OAP administration may have influenced the results.

Conclusion

This real-world study associates LAIs with better medication adherence and lower antipsychotic discontinuation risk than OAPs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40261-020-00990-8.

Hospitalization Rates and Therapy Costs of German Schizophrenia Patients Who are Initiated on Long-Acting Injectable Medication: A Mirror-Image Study

Background

Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics can reduce relapse, hospitalization, and costs in patients with schizophrenia. However, real-world evidence assessing the impact of treatment with LAIs in Germany is limited.

Objective

To provide updated evidence on the impact of LAI initiation on hospitalization rates and therapy costs.

Methods

Using a mirror-image design, claims data of 850 German patients with schizophrenia who initiated treatment with LAIs during 2013–2015 was retrospectively analyzed. For the included patients, costs and resource utilization were compared for the 12 months before the index date (first initiation of LAI) and the 12 months after the index date. Annual treatment costs, hospitalization rates, ambulatory visits, sick leaves and medical aids were assessed. Two models were used to evaluate hospitalization and its costs. In model 1, hospitalization during the index date (first LAI prescription in 2013–2015) was allocated to the “pre-” time interval, while in model 2 it was neither attributed to the pre- nor to the post-index date. Regression analysis was performed to identify patients who benefited the most in terms of cost reduction from LAI initiation.

Results

Medication costs were significantly higher post-switching to LAI compared with pre-switching period (€3832 vs €799; p < 0.001). In model 1, number of hospitalizations, days hospitalized, and associated costs were significantly lower post-switching compared with pre-switching (2.3 vs 2.6; 59.2 vs 73.4; and €5355 vs €11,908, respectively; all p < 0.001). Similar results were obtained for costs in model 2 (€5355 vs €10,276; p < 0.001). Mean total costs reduced significantly from pre-switching to post-switching period in model 1 (€13,776 vs €10,418; p < 0.001). Patients with characteristics such as higher number of non-psychiatric and psychiatric inpatient stays during the pre-index period (all p < 0.05) benefited the most from cost reduction after LAI initiation.

Conclusion

In this cohort of German patients with schizophrenia, treatment initiation with LAI resulted in reduced hospitalization rates and total costs.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s40261-020-00900-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Trends in utilization and dosing of antipsychotic drugs in Scandinavia: Comparison of 2006 and 2016

AIMS

The aim of this study was to investigate time trends in dosing and prevalence of antipsychotic prescriptions in Scandinavia.

METHODS

We retrieved data on antipsychotic use between 2006 and 2016 from Danish, Norwegian and Swedish national prescription registers. For each antipsychotic, we calculated prevalence of use and mean doses, overall and for specific age groups (young, adults and elderly).

RESULTS

Antipsychotic use in Scandinavia increased from 16.5 to 17.2 users/1000 inhabitants between 2006 and 2016 (+2.4%, annual change: 0.07 users/1000 inhabitants/year, 95% CI: 0.02-0.20, P = 0.02). In 2006, chlorprothixene and levomepromazine were the most commonly used antipsychotics. By 2016, quetiapine was the most used antipsychotic in all three countries and across all age groups, with an overall 1-year prevalence of 4.05-9.97 users/1000 inhabitants (annual change: 0.57 users/1000 inhabitants/year, 95% CI: 0.54-0.60, P < 0.001). Quetiapine showed a marked decrease in mean doses during the 11-year study period (0.46-0.28 defined daily doses (DDD)/user/day: 39.1%, -0.02 DDD/user/day/year, 95% CI: -0.020 to -0.015, P < 0.001). In 2016, the highest mean doses were seen for clozapine (0.90-1.07 DDD/user/day) and olanzapine (0.66-0.88 DDD/user/day).

CONCLUSIONS

There is an increased prevalence of antipsychotic prescriptions that coincides with low and/or decreasing mean doses of the majority of commonly used antipsychotics in Scandinavia. Of all antipsychotics, this development was most pronounced for quetiapine. Reasons for and consequences of increased antipsychotic use that lasts shorter periods of time requires further study.

Early antipsychotic treatment in juvenile rats elicits long-term alterations to the adult serotonin receptors

BACKGROUND

Antipsychotic drug (APD) prescription/use in children has increased significantly worldwide, despite limited insight into potential long-term effects of treatment on adult brain functioning. While initial long-term studies have uncovered alterations to behaviors following early APD treatment, further investigations into potential changes to receptor density levels of related neurotransmitter (NT) systems are required.

METHODS

The current investigation utilized an animal model for early APD treatment with aripiprazole, olanzapine, and risperidone in male and female juvenile rats to investigate potential long-term changes to the adult serotonin (5-HT) NT system. Levels of 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT2C receptors were measured in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), caudate putamen (CPu), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and hippocampus via Western Blot and receptor autoradiography.

RESULTS

In the male cohort, long-term changes to 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors were found mostly across hippocampal and cortical brain regions following early aripiprazole and olanzapine treatment, while early risperidone treatment changed 5-HT1A receptor levels in the NAc and PFC. Lesser effects were uncovered in the female cohort with aripiprazole, olanzapine and risperidone to alter 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors in NAc and hippocampal brain regions, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that early treatment of various APDs in juvenile rats may cause gender and brain regional specific changes in 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors in the adult brain.

Off-label prescription of psychiatric drugs by non-psychiatrist physicians in three general hospitals in Germany

BACKGROUND

Off-label prescribing of psychoactive drugs is a common practice in psychiatry. Here, we sought to investigate the frequency of off-label prescribing in a population of hospitalized patients with a somatic illness who were also suffering from a psychiatric pathology.

METHODS

Using a prospective, observational design, we collected data from 982 hospitalized patients with a somatic illness for whom a psychiatric consultation was requested because of the presence of additional psychiatric symptoms. Data were collected at three hospitals in Germany. Demographic and clinical data, including the previous psychoactive medications and an assessment of the suitability of the previous medications, were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

Data on the previous psychiatric medications were available for 972 patients. In 16.6% of patients, at least one psychoactive drug had been prescribed off-label, 20.2% had received on-label medication, and 63.2% had not received any psychiatric medication. Among all patients receiving psychiatric medication, 45.1% had received off-label medication. The logistic regression analysis showed a significant influence of age on the likelihood of receiving off-label medication (p = 0.018). Benzodiazepines were the most frequent off-label prescription (25.8% of off-label prescriptions), followed by atypical antipsychotics (18.2%) and low-potency antipsychotics (17.2%). Notably, 57.1% of off-label prescriptions were judged to be 'not indicated' by experienced psychiatrists.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data show a high frequency of the off-label prescription of psychoactive drugs by physicians treating patients with somatic illnesses in general hospitals. Because more than half of these cases were judged to be "not indicated", these prescriptions indicate a potential risk to patients. Furthermore, the classes of drugs that were most frequently prescribed off-label, benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, both show a substantial risk profile, particularly for elderly patients.

Drug Utilization of Japanese Patients Diagnosed with Schizophrenia: An Administrative Database Analysis

Background and objective

Patient characteristics require consideration for optimal treatment in order to achieve clinical remission for an improved quality of life and social functioning. Prior evidence supports long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) in the relapse prevention of schizophrenia. This study aimed to characterize Japanese patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and to compare the outcomes of LAIs and oral antipsychotics (AP) in re-hospitalization or emergency room visit rates.

Methods

Diagnostic Procedure Combination (DPC) designated hospital data in Japan with ICD-10 code F20x between July 2013 and June 2015 were obtained from the Medical Data Vision Co. Ltd. Patients were divided into sub-groups in order to filter co-diagnostic conditions. Differences across sub-groups were assessed using a Chi square test or ANOVA. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) was calculated to compare the re-hospitalization (30 days post discharge) or emergency room visit rates between pharmacotherapy groups of oral versus LAI or typical versus atypical within LAI patients. Adjusted estimates were provided by propensity scores that were assigned for age, gender, and Charlson co-morbidity index (CCI) scores.

Results

A quarter of the data sourced were attributed to co-diagnosis with dementia/delirium with antipsychotic prescriptions despite reported risks of antipsychotic use. After adjusting for age, gender, and co-morbidity, LAI reduced re-hospitalization and emergency (ER) visit rates more than oral APs (LAI vs. oral IRR = 0.38 (95% CI 0.17–0.74), IRR = 0.56 (95% CI 0.34–0.91), respectively).

Conclusion

The study findings demonstrate usage of DPC hospital data in schizophrenia pharmacotherapy based on classification of co-diagnoses. In comparison with oral APs only, LAI utilization can provide an opportunity for reduced re-hospitalization and ER visit rates among patients with schizophrenia.

Ecological Assessment of Clinicians' Antipsychotic Prescription Habits in Psychiatric Inpatients: A Novel Web- and Mobile Phone-Based Prototype for a Dynamic Clinical Decision Support System

Background

Electronic prescribing devices with clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) hold the potential to significantly improve pharmacological treatment management.

Objective

The aim of our study was to develop a novel Web- and mobile phone–based application to provide a dynamic CDSS by monitoring and analyzing practitioners’ antipsychotic prescription habits and simultaneously linking these data to inpatients’ symptom changes.

Methods

We recruited 353 psychiatric inpatients whose symptom levels and prescribed medications were inputted into the MEmind application. We standardized all medications in the MEmind database using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system and the defined daily dose (DDD). For each patient, MEmind calculated an average for the daily dose prescribed for antipsychotics (using the N05A ATC code), prescribed daily dose (PDD), and the PDD to DDD ratio.

Results

MEmind results found that antipsychotics were used by 61.5% (217/353) of inpatients, with the largest proportion being patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (33.4%, 118/353). Of the 217 patients, 137 (63.2%, 137/217) were administered pharmacological monotherapy and 80 (36.8%, 80/217) were administered polytherapy. Antipsychotics were used mostly in schizophrenia spectrum and related psychotic disorders, but they were also prescribed in other nonpsychotic diagnoses. Notably, we observed polypharmacy going against current antipsychotics guidelines.

Conclusions

MEmind data indicated that antipsychotic polypharmacy and off-label use in inpatient units is commonly practiced. MEmind holds the potential to create a dynamic CDSS that provides real-time tracking of prescription practices and symptom change. Such feedback can help practitioners determine a maximally therapeutic drug treatment while avoiding unproductive overprescription and off-label use.

Quetiapine Misuse and Abuse: Is it an Atypical Paradigm of Drug Seeking Behavior?

Recent case reports in medical literatures suggest that more and more second-generation atypical antipsychotics (AAs) have been prescribed for off-label use; quetiapine (Brand name: Seroquel^®) showed increase in its trend for off-label use. Little is known about the reasons behind this trend, although historical sedative and hypnotic prescription patterns suggest that despite relatively superior safety profiles of quetiapine (especially for movement disorders), it may be used for treating substance abuse disorder. In addition, recent studies have shown a strong potential for misuse and abuse (MUA) of quetiapine beyond Food and Drug Administration-approved indications. This includes drug-seeking behaviors, such as feigning symptoms, motivated by quetiapine and use of quetiapine in conjunction with alcohol. Quetiapine appears to be the most documented AA with street values bartered illicitly on the street. A recent report from the Drug Abuse Warning Network has shown a high prevalence of quetiapine-related emergency department visits involving MUA. Several other case studies have found that quetiapine causes seeking behaviors observed in substance use disorder. In fact, the majority of quetiapine MUA involved patients diagnosed with substance use disorder. In the absence of a definitive mechanism of action of quetiapine's reinforcing properties, it is imperative to gather robust evidence to support or refute increasing off-label use of AAs.

Early Antipsychotic Treatment in Juvenile Rats Elicits Long-Term Alterations to the Dopamine Neurotransmitter System

Prescription of antipsychotic drugs (APDs) to children has substantially increased in recent years. Whilst current investigations into potential long-term effects have uncovered some alterations to adult behaviours, further investigations into potential changes to neurotransmitter systems are required. The current study investigated potential long-term changes to the adult dopamine (DA) system following aripiprazole, olanzapine and risperidone treatment in female and male juvenile rats. Levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), phosphorylated-TH (p-TH), dopamine active transporter (DAT), and D₁ and D₂ receptors were measured via Western blot and/or receptor autoradiography. Aripiprazole decreased TH and D₁ receptor levels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and p-TH levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of females, whilst TH levels decreased in the PFC of males. Olanzapine decreased PFC p-TH levels and increased D₂ receptor expression in the PFC and nucleus accumbens (NAc) in females only. Additionally, risperidone treatment increased D₁ receptor levels in the hippocampus of females, whilst, in males, p-TH levels increased in the PFC and hippocampus, D₁ receptor expression decreased in the NAc, and DAT levels decreased in the caudate putamen (CPu), and elevated in the VTA. These results suggest that early treatment with various APDs can cause different long-term alterations in the adult brain, across both treatment groups and genders.

Experiences with Patient Refusal of Off-Label Prescribing of Psychotropic Medications to Children and Adolescents in Japan

OBJECTIVE

In child and adolescent psychiatry, the off-label prescribing of psychotropic medications is common. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of Japanese child and adolescent psychiatrists with off-label prescribing to children and/or adolescents (hereafter referred to as "children") and to identify the factors associated with these experiences.

METHODS

A prospective questionnaire was sent to 1628 psychiatrists belonging to the Japanese Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to determine whether demographic characteristics or categories of psychotropic medications were able to independently predict patient refusals of off-label prescribing.

RESULTS

The final sample included 447 psychiatrists, and 93% of the respondents (416/447) had experiences with off-label prescribing to children. In addition, 39.7% of the respondents (165/416) experienced patient refusal of off-label prescribing when they informed the children and/or parents of the prescribing. The most commonly prescribed off-label psychotropic medications were antipsychotics (82.0%). Patient refusal was significantly more frequent when the respondents informed parents (p=0.02) and children (p<0.01) about off-label prescribing than when they did not. A stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that informing parents (odds ratio [OR], 2.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-6.82) or children (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.12-2.58) about off-label prescribing and antidepressant use (OR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.25-7.10) increased the odds of patient refusal of off-label prescribing; however, prescribers' years in practice decreased the odds (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-1).

CONCLUSIONS

Off-label prescribing of psychotropic medications is common among child and adolescent psychiatrists in Japan. Furthermore, the psychiatrists' experiences with patient refusal of off-label prescribing were significantly associated with informing the parents/patients about off-label prescribing, particularly with regard to use of antidepressants. Further studies are required to support the development of decision making among clinicians.

Early antipsychotic treatment in childhood/adolescent period has long-term effects on depressive-like, anxiety-like and locomotor behaviours in adult rats

Childhood/adolescent antipsychotic drug (APD) use is exponentially increasing worldwide, despite limited knowledge of the long-term effects of early APD treatment. Whilst investigations have found that early treatment has resulted in some alterations to dopamine and serotonin neurotransmission systems (essential to APD efficacy), there have only been limited studies into potential long-term behavioural changes. This study, using an animal model for childhood/adolescent APD treatment, investigated the long-term effects of aripiprazole, olanzapine and risperidone on adult behaviours of male and female rats. Open-field/holeboard, elevated plus maze (EPM), social interaction and forced swim (FS) tests were then conducted in adult rats. Our results indicated that in the male cohort, early risperidone and olanzapine treatment elicited long-term hyper-locomotor effects (open-field/holeboard and FS tests), whilst a decrease in depressive-like behaviour (in FS test) was observed in response to olanzapine treatment. Furthermore, anxiolytic-like behaviours were found following testing in the open-field/holeboard and EPM in response to all three drug treatments. Effects in the female cohort, however, were to a far lesser extent, with behavioural attributes indicative of an increased depressive-like behaviour and hypo-locomotor activity exhibited in the FS test following early risperidone and olanzapine treatment. These results suggest that various APDs have different long-term effects on the behaviours of adult rats.

The use of antipsychotics in preschoolers: a veto or a sensible last option?

Recent reports have illustrated a dramatic rise in the use of antipsychotics in preschool children, medications originally designed and licensed for the treatment of adult psychotic disorders. Within this context, the current usage and the associated diagnoses are reviewed and compared with official guidelines and licensing for such use, highlighting a controversial challenge for clinicians. A review of the evidence base of the relative efficacy of such medications for a range of disorders is given. Associated safety and side effects are discussed, with compelling evidence for increased adverse events associated with use of antipsychotics in preschoolers, and neurodevelopmental hypotheses are used to guide predictions of long-term risk. An apparent gap in the literature and evidence base supporting such use and elucidating the risks and benefits leaves a challenge for clinicians and researchers and hinders the development of appropriate guidelines. Pragmatism in clinical practice, mindful of the limited evidence base that does exist and the propensity for harm, is necessary; far more research is required in this important area.

Off-licence prescribing and regulation in psychiatry: current challenges require a new model of governance

The growing worldwide use of pharmaceuticals is managed in some countries by a regulatory system which sharply divides legal use into licensed and unlicensed categories. We examine how for the range of psychotropics this simultaneously restricts the possible benefits to patients, prescribers and producers in some domains, while failing to manage the risks in others. A more flexible system, which shares at an earlier stage experience and evidence on benefits and risks in patients, previously marginalized on the grounds of age, diagnosis or comorbidity, would aid the development of safer, more effective 'real-world prescribing'. Practical recommendations are made for a new model of research and prescribing governance, to enable more effective repurposing of these treatments.

Probabilistic classification and gambling in patients with schizophrenia receiving medication: comparison of risperidone, olanzapine, clozapine and typical antipsychotics

RATIONALE

We have previously shown that patients with schizophrenia treated with typical antipsychotics were impaired on the weather prediction probabilistic classification learning (PCL) task that relies on striatal function, and that similar patients treated with atypical antipsychotics were impaired on the Iowa gambling task (IGT) that depends on medial prefrontocortical function.

OBJECTIVES

We tested the hypothesis that test performance of patients treated with risperidone will be more similar to those treated with typical rather than atypical antipsychotics.

RESULTS

Groups of schizophrenia patients treated with risperidone, olanzapine, clozapine or typical antipsychotics did not differ on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale or the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) but scored lower than controls on the MMSE. For the PCL task, patients treated with clozapine improved over trials while those treated with typical antipsychotics, olanzapine, or risperidone did not. For the IGT, patients treated with typical antipsychotics or risperidone improved over trials while those treated with clozapine or olanzapine did not.

CONCLUSIONS

Results generally supported the hypothesis that patients treated with risperidone perform more like those treated with typical antipsychotics than those treated with other atypical antipsychotics.

Effect of chronic antipsychotic treatment on brain structure: a serial magnetic resonance imaging study with ex vivo and postmortem confirmation

BACKGROUND

There is increasing evidence that antipsychotic (APD) may affect brain structure directly. To examine this, we developed a rodent model that uses clinically relevant doses and serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), followed by postmortem histopathological analysis to study the effects of APD on brain structures.

METHODS

Antipsychotic , haloperidol, and olanzapine were continuously administered to rats via osmotic minipumps to maintain clinic-like steady state levels for 8 weeks. Longitudinal in vivo MRI scanning (T₂-weighted) was carried out at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks, after which animals were perfused and their brains preserved for ex vivo MRI scanning. Region of interest analyses were performed on magnetic resonance images (both in vivo as well as ex vivo) along with postmortem stereology using the Cavalieri estimator probe.

RESULTS

Chronic (8 weeks) exposure to both haloperidol and olanzapine resulted in significant decreases in whole-brain volume (6% to 8%) compared with vehicle-treated control subjects, driven mainly by a decrease in frontal cerebral cortex volume (8% to 12%). Hippocampal, corpus striatum, lateral ventricles, and corpus callosum volumes were not significantly different from control subjects, suggesting a differential effect of APD on the cortex. These results were corroborated by ex vivo MRI scans and decreased cortical volume was confirmed postmortem by stereology.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first systematic whole-brain MRI study of the effects of APD, which highlights significant effects on the cortex. Although caution needs to be exerted when extrapolating results from animals to patients, the approach provides a tractable method for linking in vivo MRI findings to their histopathological origins.

Daytime sleepiness in elderly Parkinson's disease patients and treatment with the psychostimulant modafinil: A preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) or Parkinsonian syndromes often report excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the psychostimulant modafinil on elderly, institutionalized, severely impaired PD patients with EDS.

METHOD

A three-week open study on ten institutionalized PD patients scoring >10 points on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) with modafinil eventually on 100 mg twice a day. Patients were assessed at the start, week 1, and week 3 with ESS, Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale severity of PD and appetite.

RESULTS

Reduction of ESS score and PD severity over time were found as well as a significant increase in appetite and reduction in CGI score.

CONCLUSION

Modafinil 100 mg twice a day was safe and modestly effective for the treatment of EDS in elderly, institutionalized PD patients. Sustaining wakefulness throughout all stages of PD is crucial for participating in life, maintaining social life, and improving quality of life.

Cure or curse? Ambivalent attitudes towards neuroleptic medication in schizophrenia and non-schizophrenia patients

Neuroleptic non-compliance remains a serious challenge for the treatment of psychosis. Non-compliance is predominantly attributed to side effects, lack of illness insight, reduced well-being or poor therapeutic alliance. However, other still neglected factors may also play a role. Further, little is known about whether psychiatric patients without psychosis who are increasingly prescribed neuroleptics differ in terms of medication compliance or about reasons for non-compliance by psychosis patients. As direct questioning is notoriously prone to social desirability biases, we conducted an anonymous survey. After a strict selection process blind to results, 95 psychiatric patients were retained for the final analyses (69 participants with a presumed diagnosis of schizophrenia psychosis, 26 without psychosis). Self-reported neuroleptic non-compliance was more prevalent in psychosis patients than non-psychosis patients. Apart from side effects and illness insight, main reasons for non-compliance in both groups were forgetfulness, distrust in therapist, and no subjective need for treatment. Other notable reasons were stigma and advice of relatives/acquaintances against neuroleptic medication. Gain from illness was a reason for non-compliance in 11-18% of the psychosis patients. Only 9% of all patients reported no side effects and full compliance and at the same time acknowledged that neuroleptics worked well for them. While pills were preferred over depot injections by the majority of patients, depot was judged as an alternative by a substantial subgroup. Although many patients acknowledge the need and benefits of neuroleptic medication, non-compliance was the norm rather than the exception in our samples.

Long-term sustained benefits of clozapine treatment in refractory early onset schizophrenia: a retrospective study in Korean children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Treatment resistance in early onset schizophrenia (EOS) is one of the most challenging problems in child and adolescent psychiatry. We retrospectively examined the therapeutic dosage, clinical response, and side effect profiles of long-term clozapine treatment in Korean children and adolescents with refractory EOS or very early onset schizophrenia (VEOS).

METHOD

26 refractory patients treated with clozapine for more than 1 year were analyzed. Efficacy was determined by comparing hospitalization rate and duration, before and after clozapine treatment. Tolerability was assessed through review of documented adverse events.

RESULTS

A significant reduction in hospital days per year was observed in 25 (96.2%) patients after clozapine treatment compared to before clozapine. Long-term benefit of the treatment was supported by a further reduction of the hospitalization rate in 14 patients treated with clozapine for more than 3 years. Neutropenia developed in 26.9% patients at 1 year and there was no agranulocytosis. Overall, eight male patients (8/12, 66.7%) and one female patient (1/14, 7%) developed neutropenia and out of the nine patients, seven patients were maintained and two patients were successfully rechallenged on clozapine.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that long-term clozapine treatment may effectively reduce the amount of time Asian patients with refractory EOS or VEOS spend in the hospital. However careful monitoring of adverse events is required.