Antipsychotics in Dutch Youth: Prevalence, Dosages, and Duration of Use from 2005 to 2015

Sanne M. Kloosterboer, Catharina C. M. Schuiling-Veninga, Jens H. J. Bos, Luuk J. Kalverdijk, Birgit C. P. Koch, Gwen C. Dieleman, Manon H. J. Hillegers, Bram Dierckx*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

Objectives: The use of antipsychotic drugs by youth is associated with serious side effects, especially when prescribed in higher dosages and for a longer period. Despite this, little is known about recent trends in the dosages and duration of use of antipsychotic drugs in children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to describe trends in prevalence, incidence, dosages, duration of use, and preceding psychotropic medication in Dutch youth who had been prescribed antipsychotic drugs from 2005 to 2015. Methods: We analyzed 84,828 antipsychotic prescriptions of youths aged 0-19 years between 2005 and 2015, derived from a large Dutch community pharmacy-based prescription database (IADB.nl). Results: Since a peak of 9.8 users per 1000 youths in 2009, prevalence rates stabilized. Dosages in milligram per kilogram declined for the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic drugs during the study period. The median duration of use was 6.0 (95% CI 5.4-6.6) months. Boys used antipsychotic drugs significantly longer than girls, with a median of 6.9 (95% CI 6.1-7.7) versus 4.6 (95% CI 3.9-5.3) months (p

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)173-179
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
Volume28
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr-2018

Keywords

  • Journal Article
  • IADB

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