Cluster B personality disorders and psychotropic medications: a focused analysis of trends and patterns across sex and age groups

Purpose

This study investigated sex and age differences in patterns of psychotropic medication use before and after the initial diagnosis of Cluster B personality disorders (PDs) and analyzed trends over time.

Methods

Analyzing data from the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System for individuals newly diagnosed with Cluster B PD (≥ 14 years) between 2002 and 2018 and under the provincial public drug plan, we calculated yearly and monthly proportions of individuals exposed to psychotropic medications during the year before and after their diagnosis by sex and age. Robust Poisson regression models assessed the association between sex and exposure to psychotropic medications after the diagnosis of Cluster B PD.

Results

Among 87,778 individuals with a first Cluster B PD diagnosis (mean age: 44.5 years; 57.5% women), the proportion of users increased post-diagnosis. Notably, after diagnosis, females were more likely to receive psychiatric medications (between 78.9% and 83.7% during the study period vs. 72.8% and 76.8%). Males were less likely than females to receive antidepressants (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR): 0.83; 99% confidence interval (CI): 0.82–0.85) and anxiolytics (aPR: 0.86; 99%CI: 0.84–0.88), whereas they had higher exposure to antipsychotics (aPR: 1.04; 99%CI: 1.02–1.06) and ADHD medications (aPR: 1.14; 99%CI: 1.07–1.2). Age-specific trends showed increased ADHD medication use among younger patients (14–24 years), and anxiolytic use predominated in those aged ≥ 65 years.

Conclusions

Psychotropic medication use was high among Cluster B PD patients, with differences in medication classes according to age and sex. The marked sex and age differences in psychotropic medication use among Cluster B PD patients underscore the need for a sex-sensitive and age-specific approach in psychiatric care.