Combination Of Antipsychotics Research Articles

Atypical Antipsychotics and Lithium Induced Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome associated with Acute Kidney Injury: A Case Report

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is a rare but serious adverse reaction to antipsychotic medications. This case report presents a 56-year-old male with bipolar disorder on a regimen of Olanzapine, Clozapine and Lithium carbonate, who developed typical NMS. He had muscle rigidity, hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis which led to acute kidney injury. Prompt withdrawal of psychotropic medications and administration of supportive therapies was done, yet the patient's condition deteriorated, leading to Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) and eventually mortality. This case shows the complexity of managing NMS in the context of polypharmacy emphasizing the need for vigilance when prescribing antipsychotic combinations and the challenges faced in treating NMS, especially when there are associated complications.

Pharmacological treatments for psychotic depression

Despite the overall efficacy of antidepressant and antipsychotic combination therapy for the treatment of psychotic depression, data on the most appropriate choice of individual drugs for the combination treatment are limited. Researchers recently conducted a network meta‐analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of various pharmacological treatment options for patients who had major depressive episodes with psychotic features (Oliva et al., 2024).

Cognitive behavioural therapy without medication for schizophrenia.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be effective in people with schizophrenia when provided in combination with antipsychotic medication. It remains unclear whether CBT could be safely and effectively offered in the absence of concomitant antipsychotic therapy. To investigate the effects of CBT for schizophrenia when administered without concomitant pharmacological treatment with antipsychotics. We conducted a systematic search on 6 March 2022 in the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Study-Based Register of Trials, which is based on CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO ICTRP. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in people with schizophrenia comparing CBT without antipsychotics to standard care, standard care without antipsychotics, or the combination of CBT and antipsychotics. Two review authors independently screened references for inclusion, extracted data from eligible studies, and assessed risk of bias using Cochrane's RoB 2 tool. We contacted study authors for missing data and additional information. Our primary outcome was general mental state measured with a validated rating scale. Key secondary outcomes were specific symptoms of schizophrenia, relapse, service use, number of participants leaving the study early, functioning, quality of life, and number of participants actually receiving antipsychotics during the trial. We also assessed behaviour, adverse effects, and mortality. We included 4 studies providing data for 300 participants (average age 21.94 years). The mean sample size was 75 participants (range 61 to 90 participants). Study duration was between 26 and 39 weeks for the intervention period and 26 to 104 weeks for the follow-up period. Three studies employed a blind rater, while one study was triple-blind. All analyses included data from a maximum of three studies. The certainty of the evidence was low or very low for all outcomes. For the primary outcome overall symptoms of schizophrenia, results showed a difference favouring CBT without antipsychotics when compared to no specific treatment at long term (> 1 year mean difference measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS MD) -14.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) -27.75 to -1.79, 1 RCT, n = 34). There was no difference between CBT without antipsychotics compared with antipsychotics (up to 12 months PANSS MD 3.38, 95% CI -2.38 to 9.14, 2 RCTs, n = 63) (very low-certainty evidence) or compared with CBT in combination with antipsychotics (up to 12 months standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.30, 95% CI -0.06 to 0.65, 3 RCTs, n = 125). Compared with no specific treatment, CBT without antipsychotics was associated with a reduction in overall symptoms (as described above) and negative symptoms (PANSS negative MD -4.06, 95% CI -7.50 to -0.62, 1 RCT, n = 34) at longer than 12 months. It was also associated with a lower duration of hospital stay (number of days in hospital MD -22.45, 95% CI -28.82 to -16.08, 1 RCT, n = 74) and better functioning (Personal and Social Performance Scale MD -12.42, 95% CI -22.75 to -2.09, 1 RCT, n = 40, low-certainty evidence) at up to 12 months. We did not find a difference between CBT and antipsychotics in any of the investigated outcomes, with the exception of adverse events measured with the Antipsychotic Non-Neurological Side-Effects Rating Scale (ANNSERS) at both 6 and 12 months (MD -4.94, 95% CI -8.60 to -1.28, 2 RCTs, n = 48; MD -6.96, 95% CI -11.55 to -2.37, 2 RCTs, n = 42). CBT without antipsychotics was less effective than CBT combined with antipsychotics in reducing positive symptoms at up to 12 months (SMD 0.40, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.76, 3 RCTs, n = 126). CBT without antipsychotics was associated with a lower number of participants experiencing at least one adverse event in comparison with CBT combined with antipsychotics at up to 12 months (risk ratio 0.36, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.80, 1 RCT, n = 39, low-certainty evidence). This review is the first attempt to systematically synthesise the evidence about CBT delivered without medication to people with schizophrenia. The limited number of studies and low to very low certainty of the evidence prevented any strong conclusions. An important limitation in the available studies was that participants in the CBT without medication group (about 35% on average) received antipsychotic treatment, highlighting the challenges of this approach. Further high-quality RCTs are needed to provide additional data on the feasibility and efficacy of CBT without antipsychotics.

ANALISIS EFEKTIVITAS BIAYA (Cost Effectiveness Analysis) PENGGUNAAN ANTIPSIKOTIK MONOTERAPI ATIPIKAL DENGAN KOMBINASI ATIPIKAL DAN TIPIKAL PADA PASIEN RAWAT INAP SKIZOFRENIA DI RUMAH SAKIT JIWA GRHASIA YOGYAKARTA

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder characterized by impaired thinking, hallucinations and social behavior. Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) ranks 2nd with a prevalence of schizophrenia reaching 10.4 per 1,000 population. The high number of people suffering from mental disorders can lead to increasingly expensive costs. To reduce the problem of health financing, a cost-effectiveness analysis is needed by calculating the cost of antipsychotic drugs and calculating the Average Cost Effectiveness Ratio value. The aim of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of using atypical antipsychotic monotherapy with atypical and typical combinations in schizophrenia patients at RSJ Grhasia Yogyakarta. The research method was carried out descriptively and retrospectively using medical record data for the period January-December 2022, with a proportional sampling technique. Results: research shows that atypical monotherapy antipsychotics are more cost-effective with an Average Cost Effectiveness Ratio value of IDR 204.4/week of therapeutic treatment compared to atypical-typical combination antipsychotics with a greater value of IDR 343.2/week of therapeutic treatment. Conclusion: The antipsychotics used by inpatient schizophrenia patients at RSJ Grhasia Yogyakarta had the highest effectiveness, namely in the atypical monotherapy therapy group, amounting to (93.02%).

Efficacy and safety of clozapine combination with different antipsychotics in schizophrenia: a systematic review

Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic mental disorder, where antipsychotics are used as the main therapy. Antipsychotics are commonly used in combination, especially in refractory patients. Clozapine is one of antipsychotics that is often used in combination with other antipsychotic to achieve more effective treatment. However, the effectiveness and safety of the clozapine combination are still inconclusive. This review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety evidence of clozapine combination therapy with different other antipsychotics. Relevant articles were collected from Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed, and published in 2000-2020. Five studies concerning the effectiveness and safety of clozapine in combination with different other antipsychotics were evaluated. No significant difference in the effectiveness of clozapine in combination with other antipsychotics was observed in 4 studies. No significant difference in the safety of all clozapine combinations was observed in 3 studies. Only 2 studies reported that the clozapine-atypical antipsychotic combination (clozapine-aripiprazole) is more tolerable compared to the clozapine-typical antipsychotic. In conclusion, the efficacy and safety of clozapine in combination with different other antipsychotics have not been definitively conclusive, yet.

Postpartum Psychosis: A Proposed Treatment Algorithm.

Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a psychiatric emergency that generally warrants acute inpatient care. PPP is marked by the sudden onset of affective and psychotic symptoms with a rapid deterioration in mental state. Evidence suggests that PPP is a discrete disorder on the bipolar disorder spectrum with a distinct treatment profile and prognosis. We conducted a PubMed database search for various terms involving PPP and its treatment and included peer-reviewed articles published in English. To provide a treatment algorithm for the management of PPP based on available evidence. Pharmacological therapy is the mainstay of PPP management in the acute phase. Evidence points to a combination of antipsychotics and lithium in the acute treatment of PPP. Electroconvulsive therapy can offer a rapid treatment response where required. Lithium appears to have the best evidence for relapse prevention and prophylaxis in PPP. Psychoeducation is essential and psychosocial interventions used in bipolar disorder may be effective in PPP. Early detection and prompt treatment with antipsychotics and lithium, followed by maintenance treatment with lithium, is associated with a favourable prognosis in PPP.Reprinted from J Psychopharmacol 2023; 37:960-970, with permission from Sage Journals. Copyright © 2023.

Antipsychotics in the maintenance phase for psychotic depression.

This study aimed to associate antidepressants with versus without antipsychotics with readmission and suicide in patients with psychotic unipolar depression. Swedish national registers were used to identify inpatients with psychotic unipolar depression, treated 2007-2016. The participants collected antidepressants with or without antipsychotics from a pharmacy within 14 days after discharge and were followed up for 2 years. The primary outcome was hospital readmission due to any psychiatric disorder, suicide attempt, or completed suicide. Cox regression was used to analyze the data, which were adjusted for sex, age, prior admissions, comorbidity, electroconvulsive therapy, and other pharmacological treatments. We identified 4391 patients, of which 2972 were in the antidepressant + antipsychotic combination therapy group, and 1419 were in the antidepressant monotherapy group. After 2 years, 42.3% and 36.6% of patients were readmitted or committed suicide in the combination therapy and monotherapy group, respectively. Monotherapy was significantly associated with a lower risk of reaching the outcome in the main analysis (hazard ratio = 0.86; 95% confidence interval: 0.77-0.95). The results went in the same direction in all sensitivity analyses. Our findings do not indicate any advantage of adding antipsychotics as adjunctive to antidepressants as maintenance treatment. Considering the wide use, known side effects, and the current lack of evidence supporting the benefit, further studies on the effect of antipsychotics in the maintenance phase of psychotic unipolar depression are urgently warranted.

Frequency of sexual dysfunction in outpatients with severe mental illness in Greece.

Patients with psychosis can develop sexual dysfunction, which may be related to the disease itself, psychosocial factors, somatic comorbidities, and the use of psychotropic medication. We aimed to investigate the type and frequency of sexual dysfunction in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder in order to assess the side effects of antipsychotics in sexual function. This is a multicenter, cross-sectional study, involving patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (79.3%) or bipolar disorder (20.7%) treated in the Department of Psychiatry and Community Mental Health Centers from November 2018 to December 2019. Patients were enrolled in the study after signed informed consent. Demographic and clinical data were collected from patients through a semi-structured interview. The Antipsychotics and Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (ASFQ) was administered to assess sexual function. A total of 87 outpatients on antipsychotics were recruited in the study. The mean age was 43.6 years, while the mean duration of the disease was 16.9 years. Overall, only 9.1% of patients spontaneously reported sexual dysfunction. Patients treated with oral first-generation antipsychotics had more difficulties in achieving orgasm and decreased erection capacity. In contrast, patients treated with oral second-generation antipsychotics had decreased ejaculation capacity. Patients on antipsychotic combination therapy were associated with higher rates of sexual anhedonia. These results suggest that sexual dysfunction is a side effect of antipsychotic treatment, which was spontaneously rarely reported by patients. It seems essential to obtain a psychosexual clinical history before initiating antipsychotic treatment to evaluate following changes and adopt an individualized strategy to manage sexual dysfunction induced by antipsychotics.

Potential benefits of combining two long-acting injectable antipsychotic: a retrospective study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the combination of two long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIA) in psychiatric disorders, especially in schizophrenia. Eighty-three patients treated with dual LAIA were included in the study by retrospective screening from the hospital registration system. The present study was designed as an observational, retrospective, naturalistic mirror-image study. The number of hospitalizations before and after switching to dual LAIA was compared in patients who received oral antipsychotics and single LAIA during the study period. In addition, it was analyzed which was the preferred dual antipsychotic combination. Of the patients, 44.6% had schizophrenia, 41.0% had schizoaffective disorder, and 14.4% had other psychiatric disorders. The number of patients receiving oral treatment prior to dual LAIA use was 80 (96.4%). Data on dual LAIA regimens showed that 31.3% were receiving paliperidone and aripiprazole, 24.1% were receiving paliperidone and flupenthixol, 18.1% were receiving paliperidone and zuclopenthixol, and 26.5% were receiving the other combinations. After dual LAIA treatment, there was a significant decrease in the number of hospitalizations compared to before (from 5.95 to 0.99, p<0.001). In addition, while the number of patients who did not require hospitalization in the pre-treatment period was 10.8%, it reached 48.1% in the post-treatment period (p<0.001). No significant adverse effect related to the use of dual LAIA was observed in any patient during the treatment period. The use of dual LAIA instead of oral antipsychotics or single LAIA in chronic psychotic patients with poor social support and irregular medication use is thought to reduce hospitalization and related treatment costs and regularize medication use.

Real-world use of pharmacological treatments for incident bipolar disorder: A Finnish nationwide cohort study

BackgroundPharmacotherapy remains crucial for treating bipolar disorder (BD), but knowledge on the treatments actually used by newly diagnosed patients in real-world settings is sparse. MethodsIndividuals newly diagnosed with BD during 1996–2018, aged 15–65 years, were identified from national Finnish registers. The patients' use of different drug classes (mood stabilizers, antipsychotics and antidepressants) or combinations of these drug classes were followed from initial pharmacotherapy (first line) after BD diagnosis until the fifth line of treatment or until the two-year follow-up time ended. Clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with antidepressants-only as the first treatment line were assessed with logistic regression. Results82.6 % of all patients used BD medication during the follow-up. 33.9 % had antidepressants-only as the first, 22.9 % as the second and 19.7 % as the third treatment line. Use of combinations of mood stabilizers, antipsychotics and antidepressants increased by successive treatment lines. Factors associated with antidepressants-only as the first treatment line included older age (>45 years aOR 2.20, 95% CI: 2.01–2.40, 25–45 years: 1.55, 1.42–1.68, compared with those aged <25), diabetes (1.35, 1.17–1.55) and female sex (1.29, 1.21–1.37). BD diagnosis registered in 2016–2018 (0.48, 0.42–0.55) and substance abuse (0.77, 0.71–0.83) were associated with decreased odds. LimitationsDue to the register-based nature of this study, not all potentially important clinical factors influencing medication use could be controlled for. ConclusionsA large proportion of patients with bipolar disorder are not treated according to treatment guidelines, as use of antidepressants alone is common. Reasons for not following evidence-based recommendations need to be further researched.

Postpartum psychosis: A proposed treatment algorithm.

Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a psychiatric emergency that generally warrants acute inpatient care. PPP is marked by the sudden onset of affective and psychotic symptoms with a rapid deterioration in mental state. Evidence suggests that PPP is a discrete disorder on the bipolar disorder spectrum with a distinct treatment profile and prognosis. We conducted a PubMed database search for various terms involving PPP and its treatment and included peer-reviewed articles published in English. To provide a treatment algorithm for the management of PPP based on available evidence. Pharmacological therapy is the mainstay of PPP management in the acute phase. Evidence points to a combination of antipsychotics and lithium in the acute treatment of PPP. Electroconvulsive therapy can offer a rapid treatment response where required. Lithium appears to have the best evidence for relapse prevention and prophylaxis in PPP. Psychoeducation is essential and psychosocial interventions used in bipolar disorder may be effective in PPP. Early detection and prompt treatment with antipsychotics and lithium, followed by maintenance treatment with lithium, is associated with a favourable prognosis in PPP.

Assessing the relationship between antipsychotic drug use and prolidase enzyme activity and oxidative stress in schizophrenia patients: a case-control study.

The relationship between proline, its association with oxidative stress, and its connection to schizophrenia is a subject that has not been sufficiently investigated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible effects of atypical and combined (typical and atypical) antipsychotic use on serum prolidase enzyme activity (SPEA) and serum oxidative stress parameters, and to assess the relationship between SPEA and oxidative stress in patients with schizophrenia. A total of 57 patients with schizophrenia, of which 34 were using atypical (AAPG) and 23 were using combined (typical and atypical) (CAPG) antipsychotic therapy, and 28 healthy volunteers (control group) were included in this case-control study. SPEA levels of AAPG and CAPG were significantly lower than that of control group ( P = 0.003). The oxidative stress index (OSI) value of AAPG was significantly higher than the other two groups ( P = 0.001). SPEA (<1860 U/l) and OSI (≥0.54) could discriminate schizophrenia patients with antipsychotic therapy from control groups ( P = 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively). Lower SPEA levels were associated with antipsychotic use ( P = 0.007). The SPEA values of patients with schizophrenia on antipsychotics were significantly lower compared to controls. OSI values were significantly higher in atypical antipsychotic recipients compared to those on combined antipsychotics and healthy controls.

Sekiz yaşında bir çocukta risperidona bağlı enürezis

Risperidone is an antipsychotic commonly used in children and adolescents. The use of risperidone is mostly safe in children, but it can cause some side effects. Few cases of enuresis with risperidone have been reported in the literature so far, some of these cases have been associated with the use of antidepressants or other antipsychotics in combination with risperidone. We present an 8.5-year-old patient with enuresis with risperidone.

Combination of antidepressants and antipsychotics as a novel treatment option for psychosis in Alzheimer's disease.

Psychotic symptoms are reported as one of the most common complications of Alzheimer's disease (AD), in whom they are associated with more rapid deterioration and increased mortality. Empiric treatments, namely first and second-generation antipsychotics, confer modest efficacy in patients with AD and with psychosis (AD+P) and themselves increase mortality. Recent studies suggested the use and beneficial effects of antidepressants among patients with AD+P. This motivates our rationale for exploring their potential as a novel combination therapy option among these patients. We included electronic medical records of 10,260 patients with AD in our study. Survival analysis was performed to assess the effects of the combination of antipsychotics and antidepressants on the mortality of these patients. A protein-protein interaction network representing AD+P was built, and network analysis methods were used to quantify the efficacy of these drugs on AD+P. A combined score was developed to measure the potential synergetic effect against AD+P. Our survival analyses showed that the co-administration of antidepressants with antipsychotics have a significant beneficial effect in reducing mortality. Our network analysis showed that the targets of antipsychotics and antidepressants are well-separated, and antipsychotics and antidepressants have similar Signed Jaccard Index (SJI) scores to AD+P. Eight drug pairs, including some popular recommendations like aripiprazole/sertraline, showed higher than average scores which suggest their potential in treating AD+P via strong synergetic effects. Our proposed combinations of antipsychotic and antidepressant therapy showed a strong superiority over current antipsychotics treatment for AD+P. The observed beneficial effects can be further strengthened by optimizing drug-pair selection based on our systems pharmacology analysis.

Efficacy and safety of antidepressant and antipsychotic combinations in the treatment of depression

Based on the research by the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the level of anxiety and depression is growing across the country. The greatest blow falls on young people aged 18–24, with about 77 % noting depressive symptoms in themselves. Zurab Kekelidze, the director general of the Serbsky Center, responsible for providing the World Health Organization (WHO) with data on people with depression, revealed that about 8 million people in Russia suffer from this disease. That is why it is essential for a practitioner to pay attention to the effectiveness of the chosen drug therapy, as well as to take into account adverse reactions. The purpose of the review. This article provides an update on the clinical pharmacology, mechanisms of action, and safety of antidepressants, antipsychotics, and the results of their combination in the treatment of depression. We identified potentially relevant studies by searching the electronic databases MEDLINE, SCOPUS, PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for the last 5 years up to December 2022, using the terms: depression, mental disorders, therapy, safety, efficacy, adverse effects. Results. Recent studies have shown the efficacy and good tolerability of antidepressant and antipsychotic therapy in the treatment of depression.

A Survey Study on Clinicians' Rationale and Attitude Towards the Prescription of Antipsychotic Polypharmacy in the East Perth Metropolitan Area in Western Australia.

Objective Patients challenging refractory and residual psychotic symptoms have led to the concomitant use of combined antipsychotics, which was later introduced and labelled 'antipsychotic polypharmacy' (APP). Many clinicians have become somewhat hesitant to adjust psychotropic medication dosages, resulting in a higher dose and combination prescription of antipsychotics and only achieving modest success. This study examines and investigates clinician perspectives and the rationale for the prescription of antipsychotic polypharmacy. Methods A structured questionnaire designed to reflect 15 target-directed questions evaluating clinicians' attitudes and rationale on antipsychotic polypharmacy prescription was administered from November to December 2022. Information was obtained from inpatient and outpatient prescribers (psychiatric consultants) in two government-funded psychiatric facilities and outpatient clinics in the East Perth Metropolitan Area in Western Australia. Results After exclusion, a total of 45 participants' responses were analysed. These results suggest a higher frequency of questions relating to the prescription of APP based on previous prescribers' consultation and recommendation from a prior treating team; senior nurses' pressure impacting clinicians' decisions on APP perception; and the patient's risk of aggression impacting the clinician's rationale for the prescription of APP. Conclusions Clinicians' rationale and attitude towards the prescription of APP are mostly influenced by recommendations from prior treatment teams or consultations and patients' risk for aggression without compromising practice guidelines. Our findings also highlight the need to evaluate prescribers' attitudes and how it presents an opportunity to enhance patients' holistic outcomes.

Schizophrenia and myasthenia gravis: a case report

IntroductionDespite a variety of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions, treatment of schizophrenia can still be challenging, even more when certain comorbidities are present. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder of the neuromuscular junctions caused by antibodies against acetylcholine and tyrosine kinase. While co-occurrence of schizophrenia and MG is rare, treatment can be complicated as specific treatment of one condition can lead to worsening of other (e.g. anticholinergic side effects of psychopharmacotherapy, psychiatric side effects of corticosteroids).ObjectivesTo discuss treatment difficulties in the case of a patient with schizophrenia and multiple somatic comorbidities, including MG.MethodsA case report and a review of literature.ResultsWe report a case of a 50-year-old female patient who was admitted to psychiatric hospital due to psychotic decompensation presented with dysphoria, paranoid delusions, agitation, verbal aggression and hostility. Clinical presentation and psychopharmacological treatment were complicated with her comorbid disorders, MG, which was recently treated because of a relapse, and hypothyroidism, which worsened as she neglected her regular check-ups. Multidisciplinary approach was needed to control the symptoms of her comorbid disorders, which, especially MG, limited psychopharmacological options. Combination of antipsychotics (aripiprazole, haloperidol) and mood stabilizer (sodium valproate) led to clinical improvement of psychotic symptoms. However, poor insight remained- the patient insisted on demission and was not interested in suggested psychotherapeutic and sociotherapeutic programs.ConclusionsIn complex cases like this, multidisciplinary approach is essential for adequate treatment of both psychiatric and comorbid somatic disorders. Conditions like MS can prolong treatment or even worsen the symptoms of a psychiatric disorder, especially since they limit the use of psychopharmacotherapy. Due to this, psychotherapeutic interventions could be even more important to keep a stable remission with a good insight and adherence to both psychiatric and somatic treatment.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Overview of prolactin levels in patients with schizophrenia during antipsychotic therapy at HB. Saanin Mental Hospital Padang, Indonesia

Background: Schizophrenia, which affects about 0.85% of people worldwide, is the most common illness among psychotic disorders. Antipsychotic drugs have been a mainstay of schizophrenia treatment. Antipsychotics are now the most typical factor causing increased prolactin levels (hyperprolactinemia). This research aimed to determine the overview of prolactin levels in patients with schizophrenia that receive antipsychotic therapy at HB. Saanin Mental Hospital Padang. Methods: This descriptive research included 50 patients with schizophrenia at HB. Saanin Mental Hospital Padang in July-December 2020. It was conducted using the ELISA test method to analyze prolactin levels. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 for Windows. Results: From a total sample of 50 patients, the research subject characteristics were as follows, the mean age of the research subjects was 39.48±12.53 years old, most were male (68.0%), and the most used antipsychotics given were second-generation antipsychotics (Atypical) (64%). The prolactin level among the research subjects was 30.20 ng/mL (CI 95% 25.18-36.31). It indicates that the average prolactin level in the research subjects is higher than the normal prolactin level, which is 5-25 ng/mL. The research results showed that females have a significant higher average prolactin level than males (p&lt;0.05). However, the use of typical, atypical, and combination antipsychotics do not show significant differences between groups (p&gt;0.05). Conclusion: Patients with schizophrenia at HB. Saanin Mental Hospital Padang, who became the research respondents and consumed antipsychotics, has higher prolactin levels than average.

Potential Drug-Drug Interactions among Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: Prevalence, Association with Risk Factors, and Replicate Analysis in 2021

Background and Objectives: Patients with schizophrenia are often exposed to polypharmacotherapy, which may lead to drug-drug interactions. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs) in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and to identify factors associated with pDDIs and manifested symptoms and signs. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 311 inpatients admitted to a psychiatric hospital. The LexiComp drug interaction program was used to identify pDDIs in 2014. Factors associated with the prevalence of pDDIs and factors related to clinically observed symptoms and signs were assessed using multivariable regression. In addition, replicate analysis of pDDI was performed using 2021 program updates. Results: The prevalence of pDDIs was 88.7%. Our study showed that more than half of the patients received at least one drug combination that should be avoided. The most common pDDIs involved combinations of two antipsychotics or combinations of antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, which can lead to cardio-respiratory depression, sedation, arrhythmias, anticholinergic effects, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. The number of prescribed drugs was a risk factor for pDDIs (OR 2.85; 95% CI 1.84-5.73). All groups of clinically observed symptoms and signs were associated with the number of drugs. In addition, symptoms and signs characteristic of the nervous system and psychiatric disorders were associated with antipsychotic dosage (IRR 1.33; 95% CI 1.12-1.58), which could contribute to the development of extrapyramidal syndrome, insomnia, anxiety, agitation, and bipolar mania. The 2021 version of the drug interaction program showed a shift in drug interactions toward a lower risk rating, implying less severe patient management and possibly less alert fatigue. Conclusions: Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are at high risk of developing drug-drug interactions. Optimization of drug therapy, patient monitoring, and use of drug interaction programs could help to prevent pDDIs and subsequent adverse drug events.

The Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Depressive Disorder (KMAP-DD): Changes in Preferred Treatment Strategies and Medications over 20 Years and Five Editions.

The Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Depressive Disorder (KMAP-DD) is an expert consensus guideline for depressive disorder created in 2002, and since then, four revisions (2006, 2012, 2017, 2021) have been published. In this study, changes in the content of the KMAP-DD survey and recommendations for each period were examined. The development process of the KMAP-DD was composed of two stages. First, opinions from experts with abundant clinical experience were gathered through surveys. Next, a final guideline was prepared through discussion within the working committee regarding the suitability of the results with reference to recent clinical studies or other guidelines. In mild depressive symptoms, antidepressant (AD) monotherapy was preferred, but when severe depression or when psychotic features were present, a combination of AD and atypical antipsychotics (AD + AAP) was preferred. AD monotherapy was preferred in most clinical subtypes. AD monotherapy was preferred for mild depressive symptoms, and AD + AAP was preferred for severe depression and depression with psychotic features in children, adolescents, and the elderly. This study identified the changes in the KMAP-DD treatment strategies and drug preferences in each period over the past 20 years. This work is expected to aid clinicians in establishing effective treatment strategies.