A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF RISK-FACTORS OF AKATHISIA IN TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS

Akathisia is a distressing disorder that manifests as a state of restl essness and motor agitation. We aim to highlight the problem of akathi sia to the palliative care physician by identifying and quantifying ri sk factors in the terminally ill. A retrospective case-control study w as utilized to investigate risk factors for akathisia. Medical records of cases (N = 100) and controls (N = 365) archived in a computerized database were downloaded and risk factors determined using conditional logistic regression analyses. Exposure to pharmacologically similar d rugs, such as haloperidol [odds ratio (OR), 18.4; 95% confidence inter val (CI), 8.2-41.4], prochlorperazine (OR, 8.1; 95% CI, 3.0-21.8), and promethazine (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.3-8.0), conferred an increased risk. Other significant variables were exposure to morphine (OR, 5.3; 95% C I, 1.9-14.2), sodium valproate (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.0-6.4), and sodium bicarbonate/tartrate (Ural) (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.2-15.3). Highlighting factors that predispose patients to akathisia emphasizes that this syn drome should not be forgotten when treating the terminally ill. A is r ecommended that those drugs identified should be judicially wed and ca refully monitored.