Cardiff University | Prifysgol Caerdydd ORCA
Online Research @ Cardiff 
WelshClear Cookie - decide language by browser settings

Characteristics of children prescribed antipsychotics: analysis of routinely collected data

Brophy, Sinead, Kennedy, Jonathan, Fernandez-Gutierrez, Fabiola, John, Ann, Potter, Robert, Linehan, Christine and Kerr, Michael 2018. Characteristics of children prescribed antipsychotics: analysis of routinely collected data. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology 28 (3) , pp. 180-191. 10.1089/cap.2017.0003

[thumbnail of cap.2017.0003.pdf]
Preview
PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

Download (139kB) | Preview

Abstract

Objective: Antipsychotics are licensed for psychosis and are also prescribed for behavior control. This study aims to examine characteristics and outcomes of children prescribed antipsychotics. Methods: A cohort study using general practice and hospital records linked with education records for 1,488,936 children living in Wales between 1999 and 2015. The characteristics of the children who were prescribed antipsychotics are presented using descriptive statistics and outcomes such as respiratory illness, diabetes, and injury were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression and the prior event rate ratio (PERR). Results: Children with intellectual difficulty/autism were more likely to be prescribed antipsychotics (2.8% have been prescribed an antipsychotic [75% with autism] compared with 0.15% of children without intellectual difficulty). Those with intellectual disabilities/autism were prescribed antipsychotics at a younger age and for a longer period. Antipsychotic use was associated with a higher rate of respiratory illness for all (PERR of hospital admission: 1.55 [95% CI: 1.51–1.598] or increase in rate of 2 per 100 per year in those treated), and for those with intellectual difficulty/autism, there was a higher rate of injury and hospitalized depression. However, among those without intellectual difficulty/autism, there were lower rates of depression (PERR: 0.55 [95% CI: 0.51–0.59]). Conclusions: This work shows real-world use of antipsychotics and provides information on the rate of possible adverse events in children treated. Antipsychotics are predominantly used for those with intellectual difficulty/autism rather than those with a psychotic diagnosis. There is evidence that rates of respiratory disease, epilepsy, and diabetes are also higher postantipsychotic use for all. In those with intellectual difficulty/autism, hospital-admitted depression and injury are higher postantipsychotic use. The use of antipsychotics for behavioral management is likely to have increased cost implications to the healthcare system.

Item Type: Article
Date Type: Publication
Status: Published
Schools: Medicine
MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG)
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert
ISSN: 1044-5463
Date of First Compliant Deposit: 21 March 2018
Date of Acceptance: 26 December 2017
Last Modified: 12 Nov 2023 18:49
URI: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/110069

Citation Data

Cited 19 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item Edit Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics