Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a persistent movement disorder often associated with long-term antipsychotic use, yet it remains underreported and misdiagnosed in clinical practice. A retrospective study examined electronic health record (EHR) data from 32,558 adults with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, major depressive disorder with psychosis, or bipolar disorder with psychosis who were prescribed antipsychotics. The researchers aimed to assess the proportion of patients with documented or undiagnosed TD, identifying demographic and clinical factors associated with the diagnosis. The results revealed that only 4.9% of patients with documented TD had an ICD-TD diagnosis in structured EHR data, underscoring the underdiagnosis of the condition.

The study also found that Black/African-American patients had lower odds of receiving an ICD diagnosis for TD compared to White patients, while treatment in community mental health centers was associated with a higher likelihood of an ICD diagnosis compared to academic medical centers. These findings emphasize the need for greater awareness and improved recognition of TD in clinical settings. Better diagnosis could enhance patient access to treatments and support the development of therapeutic interventions for those affected by this debilitating condition.

Reference: Griffiths K, Won Y, Lee Z, Wang L, Correll CU, Patel R. Identifying the diagnostic gap of tardive dyskinesia: an analysis of semi-structured electronic health record data. BMC Psychiatry. 2025;25(1):407. doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-06780-w.