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SAVANNAH, GA—Patients diagnosed with both anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder used almost tenfold more antipsychotic medications, and fewer SSRIs, than those diagnosed with anxiety disorder alone, reported Alya Reeve, MD, at the 19th Annual Meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association.
Dr. Reeve’s group determined the effect of autism spectrum disorder on medications prescribed for anxiety disorders. A retrospective review of 218 charts for nine years found that 98 patients (45%) had anxiety disorder; of these, 31 (32%) also had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
Additional comorbid psychiatric conditions included mood, impulse control, and attention disorders, as well as psychosis. Thirteen percent of those with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder had mood disorder, compared with 51% of those without autism spectrum disorder. Rates for other psychiatric conditions were higher in the autism spectrum disorder group than in the non–autism spectrum disorder group for impulse control disorders (60% vs 46%, respectively) and attention disorders (6% vs 4%, respectively) and were the same for psychosis (13%). Thirty-five percent of those with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder had hypothyroidism versus 23% of those without autism spectrum disorder; and 26% of those with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder had seizures versus 33% of those without autism spectrum disorder. For patients with GERD, the rates were 16% versus 18%, respectively.
“Psychotropic medications and their indication for usage were derived from chart notes and forms,” said Dr. Reeve, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque. Psychotropic medications used for anxiety included SSRIs, antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants, and heterocyclics. Each medication was classified as “current use,” “used > 50% duration of service,” or “ever used.”
Despite similar psychotropic medication prescribing rates, 48% of patients with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder were currently using an SSRI, compared with 70% of those without autism spectrum disorder. Conversely, 1.5% of patients without autism spectrum disorder were using an antipsychotic, compared with 13% of those with autism spectrum disorder.
Psychotropic medications prescribed but not used for anxiety included antipsychotics for psychotic symptoms such as impulse control, aggression, agitation, sleep, or self-injurious behaviors. These medications were used by 84% of patients with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder, compared with 69% of those without autism spectrum disorder. Other psychotropics, such as antiepileptics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, sedatives, and antihypertensives prescribed for impulse control, sleep attention, agitation, aggression, or self-injurious behaviors, were used by more patients with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder than those without (87% vs 63%, respectively). Medications used as needed (eg, for anxiety prior to a dentist visit) or for nonanxiety symptoms (eg, trazodone for sleep) were excluded.
“Patients with autism spectrum disorder used SSRIs less successfully, and antipsychotics more successfully, than those without autism spectrum disorder,” Dr. Reeve concluded. “This may reflect a population with higher behavior challenges compounding anxiety disorder.”
—Debra Hughes
SAVANNAH, GA—Patients diagnosed with both anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder used almost tenfold more antipsychotic medications, and fewer SSRIs, than those diagnosed with anxiety disorder alone, reported Alya Reeve, MD, at the 19th Annual Meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association.
Dr. Reeve’s group determined the effect of autism spectrum disorder on medications prescribed for anxiety disorders. A retrospective review of 218 charts for nine years found that 98 patients (45%) had anxiety disorder; of these, 31 (32%) also had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
Additional comorbid psychiatric conditions included mood, impulse control, and attention disorders, as well as psychosis. Thirteen percent of those with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder had mood disorder, compared with 51% of those without autism spectrum disorder. Rates for other psychiatric conditions were higher in the autism spectrum disorder group than in the non–autism spectrum disorder group for impulse control disorders (60% vs 46%, respectively) and attention disorders (6% vs 4%, respectively) and were the same for psychosis (13%). Thirty-five percent of those with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder had hypothyroidism versus 23% of those without autism spectrum disorder; and 26% of those with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder had seizures versus 33% of those without autism spectrum disorder. For patients with GERD, the rates were 16% versus 18%, respectively.
“Psychotropic medications and their indication for usage were derived from chart notes and forms,” said Dr. Reeve, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque. Psychotropic medications used for anxiety included SSRIs, antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants, and heterocyclics. Each medication was classified as “current use,” “used > 50% duration of service,” or “ever used.”
Despite similar psychotropic medication prescribing rates, 48% of patients with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder were currently using an SSRI, compared with 70% of those without autism spectrum disorder. Conversely, 1.5% of patients without autism spectrum disorder were using an antipsychotic, compared with 13% of those with autism spectrum disorder.
Psychotropic medications prescribed but not used for anxiety included antipsychotics for psychotic symptoms such as impulse control, aggression, agitation, sleep, or self-injurious behaviors. These medications were used by 84% of patients with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder, compared with 69% of those without autism spectrum disorder. Other psychotropics, such as antiepileptics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, sedatives, and antihypertensives prescribed for impulse control, sleep attention, agitation, aggression, or self-injurious behaviors, were used by more patients with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder than those without (87% vs 63%, respectively). Medications used as needed (eg, for anxiety prior to a dentist visit) or for nonanxiety symptoms (eg, trazodone for sleep) were excluded.
“Patients with autism spectrum disorder used SSRIs less successfully, and antipsychotics more successfully, than those without autism spectrum disorder,” Dr. Reeve concluded. “This may reflect a population with higher behavior challenges compounding anxiety disorder.”
—Debra Hughes
SAVANNAH, GA—Patients diagnosed with both anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder used almost tenfold more antipsychotic medications, and fewer SSRIs, than those diagnosed with anxiety disorder alone, reported Alya Reeve, MD, at the 19th Annual Meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association.
Dr. Reeve’s group determined the effect of autism spectrum disorder on medications prescribed for anxiety disorders. A retrospective review of 218 charts for nine years found that 98 patients (45%) had anxiety disorder; of these, 31 (32%) also had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
Additional comorbid psychiatric conditions included mood, impulse control, and attention disorders, as well as psychosis. Thirteen percent of those with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder had mood disorder, compared with 51% of those without autism spectrum disorder. Rates for other psychiatric conditions were higher in the autism spectrum disorder group than in the non–autism spectrum disorder group for impulse control disorders (60% vs 46%, respectively) and attention disorders (6% vs 4%, respectively) and were the same for psychosis (13%). Thirty-five percent of those with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder had hypothyroidism versus 23% of those without autism spectrum disorder; and 26% of those with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder had seizures versus 33% of those without autism spectrum disorder. For patients with GERD, the rates were 16% versus 18%, respectively.
“Psychotropic medications and their indication for usage were derived from chart notes and forms,” said Dr. Reeve, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque. Psychotropic medications used for anxiety included SSRIs, antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants, and heterocyclics. Each medication was classified as “current use,” “used > 50% duration of service,” or “ever used.”
Despite similar psychotropic medication prescribing rates, 48% of patients with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder were currently using an SSRI, compared with 70% of those without autism spectrum disorder. Conversely, 1.5% of patients without autism spectrum disorder were using an antipsychotic, compared with 13% of those with autism spectrum disorder.
Psychotropic medications prescribed but not used for anxiety included antipsychotics for psychotic symptoms such as impulse control, aggression, agitation, sleep, or self-injurious behaviors. These medications were used by 84% of patients with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder, compared with 69% of those without autism spectrum disorder. Other psychotropics, such as antiepileptics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, sedatives, and antihypertensives prescribed for impulse control, sleep attention, agitation, aggression, or self-injurious behaviors, were used by more patients with anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder than those without (87% vs 63%, respectively). Medications used as needed (eg, for anxiety prior to a dentist visit) or for nonanxiety symptoms (eg, trazodone for sleep) were excluded.
“Patients with autism spectrum disorder used SSRIs less successfully, and antipsychotics more successfully, than those without autism spectrum disorder,” Dr. Reeve concluded. “This may reflect a population with higher behavior challenges compounding anxiety disorder.”
—Debra Hughes