Effects of tobacco on antipsychotic treatments and their extrapyramidal symptoms in schizophrenia

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Published Apr 23, 2012
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Vol. 90 No. 4 (2012): Issue Apr 2012

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Saoussen Bouhlel
Yassine Jones
Mouna Msolly
Salwa Ben Hawala
Zouhaier El-Hechmi

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of cigarette smoking is significantly higher among patients with schizophrenia than in the general population. Several authors explained this excess of smoking by the self-medication hypothesis. It suggests that patients with schizophrenia smoke to reduce psychotic symptoms or antipsychotic side effects.
Aim: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of tobacco consumption in patients with schizophrenia and to test if smoking reduces psychotic and extra-pyramidal symptoms.
Methods: We included 115 patients with schizophrenia (DSM IV) treated with conventional antipsychotics. We assessed psychotic symptoms with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and extrapyramidal symptoms with the Simpson-Angus scale.
Results: Prevalence of smoking was 60% (80% in men and 22.5% in women). The majority of them started their consumption before their illness. Smokers and non-smokers had similar rates of psychotic and extrapyramidal symptoms with comparable doses of antipsychotics and anticholinergic agents which were prescribed for similar durations.
Conclusion: In this study, patients with schizophrenia smoke a lot for reasons other than reducing psychotic or extrapyramidal symptoms.

Keywords:

Schizophrenia, Antipsychotics, Tobacco

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