Clinical Characteristics and Use of Antidepressants among Cancer Patients Referred for Psychiatric Consultation : A Korean Multicenter Survey

Jin-Seong Park; Juwon Ha; Sewon Lim; Tae-Suk Kim; Jee Hyun Ha; Jong-Woo Paik; Boung Chul Lee; Byeong Moo Choe; Kang-Joon Lee; Sung-Wan Kim; Jong-Chul Yang; Young-Hoon Ko; Kang-Seob Oh

doi:10.4306/jknpa.2012.51.6.387

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Park, Ha, Lim, Kim, Ha, Paik, Lee, Choe, Lee, Kim, Yang, Ko, and Oh: Clinical Characteristics and Use of Antidepressants among Cancer Patients Referred for Psychiatric Consultation : A Korean Multicenter Survey

Original Article

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2012; 51(6): 387-394.

Published online: 30 November 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2012.51.6.387

Clinical Characteristics and Use of Antidepressants among Cancer Patients Referred for Psychiatric Consultation : A Korean Multicenter Survey

Jin-Seong Park, MD¹, Juwon Ha, MD¹, Sewon Lim, MD, PhD¹, Tae-Suk Kim, MD, PhD², Jee Hyun Ha, MD, PhD³, Jong-Woo Paik, MD, PhD⁴, Boung Chul Lee, MD, PhD⁵, Byeong Moo Choe, MD, PhD⁶, Kang-Joon Lee, MD, PhD⁷, Sung-Wan Kim, MD, PhD⁸, Jong-Chul Yang, MD, PhD⁹, Young-Hoon Ko, MD, PhD¹⁰, Kang-Seob Oh, MD, PhD¹

¹Department of Psychiatry, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

²Department of Psychiatry, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

³Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.

⁴Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.

⁵Department of Psychiatry, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

⁶Department of Psychiatry, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

⁷Department of Psychiatry, Ilsanpaik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.

⁸Department of Psychiatry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Korea.

⁹Department of Psychiatry, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea.

¹⁰Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Kang-Seob Oh, MD, PhD. Department of Psychiatry, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 29 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-746, Korea. Tel +82-2-2001-2214, Fax +82-2-2001-2211, Ks2485@empal.com

Received 4 October 2011 Revised 20 April 2012 Accepted 28 September 2012

Abstract

Objectives

Antidepressants are frequently used for treatment of psychological distress among cancer patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the characteristics of psychiatric consultations and antidepressant use for cancer patients.

Methods

Participants in the study included cancer patients who had been referred for psychiatric consultation. A total of 488 patients were recruited from nine general hospitals in Korea. Questionnaires based on medical records, including antidepressants prescribed, were investigated by psychiatrists.

Results

The most common psychiatric diagnosis of subjects was depressive disorders (72.4%), followed by anxiety disorders (13.0%), and adjustment disorders (7.3%). Antidepressants were prescribed for 96.3% of subjects and escitalopram, mirtazapine, and paroxetine were prescribed frequently, in order. Anxiolytics and hypnotics were used for 58.2% of the subjects, for which lorazepam and alprozolam were preferred. During the study period, 226 (46.8%) subjects discontinued treatment and the most common cause was improvement of symptoms (123, 54.4%).

Conclusion

Our results showed a tendency of prescription of antidepressants and anxiolytics and common psychiatric problems in Korean cancer patients. We suppose that these data would be helpful to clinicians who manage psychiatric symptoms of cancer patients.

Keywords: Cancer, Antidepressant, Prescription pattern, Psychiatric consultation

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Demographic and clinical characteristics of subjects

^*: p<0.05, independent t-test. SD : Standard deviation, SES : Socioeconomic status

Table 2

Psychiatric diagnosis, symptoms and preferred antidepressants of patients at time of referral

^*: Multiple response available. Esc : Escitalopram, Mir : Mirtazapine, Paro : Paroxetine

Table 3

Causes of drug discontinuation

^*: p<0.0001 Kruskal-Wallis test. GI : Gastrointestinal

Table 4

Prescription of antidepressants, anxiolytics and hypnotics for cancer patients

SD : Standard deviation

Notes

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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