Citation

Waddington JL, Youssef HA, Kinsella A. Br. J. Psychiatry 1998; 173: 325-329.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.173.4.325

PMID

9926037

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although increased mortality is one of the most consistent and accepted epidemiological findings in schizophrenia, a high rate of suicide appears unable to account fully for this burden which remains poorly understood.
METHOD: A cohort of 88 in-patients was followed prospectively over a 10-year period and predictors of survival sought among demographic, clinical and treatment variables.
RESULTS: Over the decade, 39 of the 88 patients (44%) died, with no instances of suicide. Reduced survival was predicted by increasing age, male gender, edentulousness and time since pre-terminal withdrawal of antipsychotics; additionally, two indices of polypharmacy predicted reduced survival: maximum number of antipsychotics given concurrently (relative risk 2.46, 95% CI 1.10-5.47; P = 0.03) and absence of co-treatment with an anticholinergic (relative risk 3.33, 95% CI 0.99-11.11; P = 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Receiving more than one antipsychotic concurrently was associated with reduced survival, in the face of little or no systematic evidence to justify the widespread use of antipsychotic polypharmacy. Conversely, over-cautious attitudes to the use of adjunctive anticholinergics may require re-evaluation.

Language: en

Keywords

Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antipsychotic Agents; Cholinergic Antagonists; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Ireland; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Schizophrenia; Sex Factors; Survival Analysis