Tardive dyskinesia (TD) significantly impacts patients’ daily life activities and quality of life. Several risk factors for TD have been identified, including older age, female gender, prolonged use and higher doses of antipsychotics, a history of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), and the use of first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs). Although second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) pose a lower risk, it still exists. Polypharmacy and mood disorders further increase the risk of TD; however, there is limited data on TD in Japan.

This study analyzed the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database to examine TD and EPS cases reported over the past decade. It aimed to identify the frequency and psychiatric diagnoses associated with these conditions, the antipsychotic classes involved, and the adequacy of current treatments. The analysis revealed that TD and EPS were reported in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depressive disorders, with both SGAs and FGAs as offending agents. The findings highlighted that a significant number of TD cases remained unresolved even after discontinuing antipsychotic treatment, suggesting the need for more effective therapeutic options to manage TD.

Reference: Saga Y, Chiang CL, Wakamatsu A. A descriptive analysis of spontaneous reports of antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia and other extrapyramidal symptoms in the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep. 2024;44(1):221-226. doi: 10.1002/npr2.12385.