Reliability of the Glasgow Antipsychotic Side-effects Scale for Clozapine Japanese version (GASS-C-J)

Background: Antipsychotics are associated with a range of side-effects that can influence patients’ subjective well-being negatively resulting in poor adherence. In order to limit the negative consequences of side-effects, they should be regularly systematically assessed. The aim of this study was to systematically assess antipsychotic side-effects in an inpatient cohort using validated rating scales. Methods: Eligible individuals prescribed an antipsychotic for at least 2 weeks were invited to have their side-effects assessed systematically. Results: A total of 208 individuals were assessed systematically for antipsychotic side-effects; 71.5% ( n = 138) stated that they had not reported side-effects to their clinician prior to the assessment. The most commonly reported side-effects were daytime drowsiness (75%), dry mouth (58.2%) and weight gain (50.0%), while the most distressing side-effects reported were erectile dysfunction (35.0%), sexual dysfunction (26.3%) and amenorrhoea (26.3%). There was no evidence of an association between side-effect severity/number of side-effects reported/distress caused by those taking high dose/combination antipsychotics versus standard dose monotherapy. Conclusion: Side-effects must be regularly and systematically assessed using a validated rating scale. As distress caused by side-effects plays a major role in non-adherence, assessment should examine distress and data on distressing side-effects should be available to those choosing an antipsychotic. Given the lack of correlation between high dose/combination antipsychotics and side-effects, treatment should be tailored to the individual based on response/tolerance and dose reduction/avoidance of polypharmacy should not be recommended to minimise side-effects.

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The impact of antipsychotic side effects on attitudes towards medication in people with schizophrenia and related disorders

Journal of Clinical Nursing ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03659.x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (15-16) ◽

pp. 2172-2182 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Yan Ling Chiang ◽

Piyanee Klainin-Yobas ◽

Jeanette Ignacio ◽

Cecilia Mui Lee Chng

Keyword(s):

Side Effects ◽

The Impact ◽

Antipsychotic Side Effects

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Glasgow Antipsychotic Side-effects Scale for Clozapine — Development and validation of a clozapine-specific side-effects scale

Schizophrenia Research ◽

10.1016/j.schres.2015.07.052 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 168 (1-2) ◽

pp. 505-513 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Caroline Hynes ◽

Dolores Keating ◽

Stephen McWilliams ◽

Kevin Madigan ◽

Anthony Kinsella ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Side Effects ◽

Development And Validation ◽

Antipsychotic Side Effects

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Psylog, an EPA smartphone application to prevent antipsychotic side-effects

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2014.09.078 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 29 (S3) ◽

pp. 672-673

Author(s):

O. Andlauer ◽

M. Rojnic-Kuzman

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Side Effects ◽

Psychiatric Care ◽

Smartphone Application ◽

Psychoeducational Intervention ◽

Antipsychotic Medications ◽

Antipsychotic Side Effects

Antipsychotic medications are used to treat a significant number of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, which have a significant impact on overall disability in Europe. Although these drugs have documented efficacy, they are also associated with side-effects such as drowsiness, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, or extrapyramidal symptoms [1]. These contribute to increasing overall morbidity and mortality [2], reduced quality of life, and can push patients to stop their medications. This often leads to relapse, and the need for a new hospital admission, which is detrimental to the patient, and create extra costs for the society. However, the monitoring of side-effects is rarely carried out in a standardized way in daily clinical practice. Smartphones are an acceptable and easy to use tool available to patients with schizophrenia [3]. The aim of the mPIVAS (mHealth psychoeducational intervention versus antipsychotic-induced side effects) project is to develop an effective and innovative smartphone application that can be used by psychiatrists and patients in order to monitor medications’ side-effects. The European Psychiatric Association (EPA) is involved in this project with the objective to develop this application in 6 languages. Part of the project includes training European early careers psychiatrists to the use Psylog and helping them to spread information about this new project in their own country, by organising local and national cascade courses. We expect an improvement in psychiatric care in all involved institutions through the education of employees, a better implication of patients in their disease, and an improved monitoring of antipsychotic side-effects.

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Immersive Virtual Reality Reminiscence Reduces Anxiety in the Oldest-Old Without Causing Serious Side Effects: A Single-Center, Pilot, and Randomized Crossover Study

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnhum.2020.598161 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

Author(s):

Kazuyuki Niki ◽

Megumi Yahara ◽

Michiya Inagaki ◽

Nana Takahashi ◽

Akira Watanabe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Side Effects ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Crossover Study ◽

Oldest Old ◽

Japanese Version ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Group A ◽

Group B ◽

Randomized Crossover Study

Background: Dementia is one the major problems of aging societies, and, novel and effective non-drug therapies are required as interventions in the oldest-old to prevent cognitive decline.Objective: This study aims to examine the efficacy and safety of reminiscence using immersive virtual reality (iVR reminiscence) focusing on anxiety that often appears with cognitive decline. The secondary objective is to reveal the preference for VR image types for reminiscence: live-action (LA) or computer graphics (CG).Methods: This was a pilot, open-label, and randomized crossover study which was conducted on January 2020 at a single nursing home. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups (A or B) in equal numbers, and they alternately viewed two types of VR images (LA and CG) themed on the mid- to late Showa era (A.D. 1955–1980) in Japan. In group A, the CG images were viewed first, and then the LA images were viewed (CG→ LA). In group B, the images were viewed in the opposite order (LA→ CG). Before VR viewing, subjects responded to Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) Japanese version and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Japanese version. After viewing the first and second VR, subjects responded to STAI and the numerical rating scale (NRS) for satisfaction and side effects (nausea, dizziness, headache, and tiredness).Results: Ten subjects participated in this study. The values of analyses are presented in the mean (SD). The age was 87.1 years (4.2), and the MMSE was 28.5 (1.8). The total STAI score before VR viewing was 36.1 (7.2), but it significantly decreased to 26.8 (4.9) after the first VR viewing (P = 0.0010), and further decreased to 23.4 (2.8) after the second VR viewing (P < 0.001). The NRS score for satisfaction tended to be higher after viewing LA in group A (CG→ LA) (CG vs. LA; 7.0 (2.3) vs. 8.6 (1.5), P = 0.0993), while in group B (LA→ CG), the score after CG was slightly lower than that after LA. There were no serious side effects.Conclusions: This study suggests that iVR reminiscence can reduce anxiety in the oldest-old without causing serious side effects. Furthermore, the impacts might be better with LA images.

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