Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

Objectives : Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are frequently used in the treatment of bipolar disorder. However, there is still no consensus on their risk of tardive movement syndromes especially for first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs)-naïve patients. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of SGAs-related tardive dyskinesia and tardive dystonia in patients with bipolar disorder, in a naturalistic out-patient clinical setting.

Methods : The authors assessed 78 non-elderly patients with bipolar (n = 71) or schizoaffective disorder (n = 7) who received SGAs with a combined use of mood stabilizers for more than three months without previous exposure to FGAs. Multiple direct assessments were performed and hospital records longer than one recent year describing any observed tardive movement symptoms were also reviewed.

Results : The prevalence rates of tardive dyskinesia and tardive dystonia were 7.7% and 6.4%, respectively. These patients were being treated with ziprasidone, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, or paliperidone at the time of the onset of the movement symptoms. Tardive dyskinesia was mostly observed in the orolingual area, and tardive dystonia was most frequently detected in oromandibular area. A past history of acute dystonia was significantly associated with presence of both tardive movement syndromes.

Conclusions : Our findings suggest that SGAs-related tardive movement syndromes occur in a substantial portion of bipolar disorder patients. Acute dystonia, a reported risk factor of tardive movement syndromes in the era of FGAs is confirmed as a risk factor of both tardive dyskinesia and tardive dystonia that were induced-by SGAs.

Keywords Antipsychotics;Tardive dyskinesia;Tardive dystonia;Bipolar affective disorder.