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AuthorWadoo, Ovais
AuthorLatoo, Javed
AuthorAlabdulla, Majid
AuthorEltorki, Yassin
AuthorRiaz, Sadaf
AuthorKarim, Mustafa Abdul
AuthorAbu-Hafizah, Mohammed
AuthorReagu, Shuja
Available date2024-03-04T03:41:14Z
Publication Date2022
Publication NameBrain and Behavior
ResourceScopus
ISSN21623279
URIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2617
URIhttp://hdl.handle.net/10576/52574
AbstractBackground: Clozapine is the gold standard in the management of treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Despite its clinically proven efficacy clozapine utilization is variable globally and published evidence is suggestive of its underutilization. Research from the Arab region on clozapine utilization is limited. The aim of our descriptive observational study was to evaluate the prescribing practice of clozapine and its sociodemographic and clinical corelates in the State of Qatar. Methods: The study is a retrospective case-note review of all patients maintained on clozapine, in the calendar year 2020. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics of the patients; antipsychotic trials before initiating clozapine; and clinical characteristics of the patients, including their diagnoses leading to prescription of clozapine, duration of illness, psychiatric hospitalizations, and co-morbidities. Results: During the study period, 100 patients were maintained on clozapine. Patients were mostly Qatari and non-Qatari Arab males. Prescription rates were significantly different for Qatari patients when compared to non-Qatari patients. Most patients had a chronic illness with the age of onset of illness in early adulthood and were diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The mean daily dose of clozapine was 325 mg. Eighty percent of the patients received two or more antipsychotic trials before initiating clozapine. Sixty-eight percent of the patients had more than two antipsychotic trials before initiating Clozapine. One third of patients had no history of psychiatric hospitalizations, and one quarter had five or more previous psychiatric hospitalizations. Of the psychiatric comorbidities, mood and substance use disorders were common. Of medical comorbidities, endocrine and metabolic disorders were common. Conclusion: Despite apparent underutilization, the Clozapine prescribing rates in Qatar are comparable to countries with plasma monitoring systems when framed within Qatar's unique demographic context. However, there still is a significant delay in Clozapine initiation despite its clinical superiority. Strengths and Limitations of this Study: First study on Clozapine utilization from the Middle-East and North-Africa region. This study examined prescribing of clozapine in a national cohort of patients in Qatar. Provides insight into sociodemographic and clinical correlates of clozapine prescribing in a country with 90% migrants. Limited by the completeness of the information contained in the patients' medical charts.
SponsorinformationThis research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.Open Access funding is provided by the Qatar National Library, Doha, Qatar.
Languageen
PublisherJohn Wiley and Sons Ltd
Subjectantipsychotic prescribing
clozapine
mental health services
TitleClozapine prescribing practice and trends in Qatar: First national observational study
TypeArticle
Issue Number7
Volume Number12
dc.accessType Open Access


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