Psychotropic Drug Use in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS): A Danish Nationwide Matched Cohort Study of 2404 AML and 1307 MDS Patients

Introduction: The diagnosis of a life-threatening disease can lead to depression and anxiety resulting in pharmacological treatment. However, use of psychotropic drugs (antidepressants, anxiolytics, and antipsychotics) in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is undetermined. Methods: Prescription of psychotropic drugs in Danish AML and MDS patients was compared to a cohort matched on age, sex, and country of origin from the Danish background population using national population-based registries. Results: In total, 2404 AML patients (median age 69 years) and 1307 MDS patients (median age 75 years) were included and each matched to five comparators from the background population. Two-year cumulative incidences showed that AML (20.6%) and MDS (21.2%) patients had a high risk of redemption of a psychotropic drug prescription compared to the background population (7.0% and 7.9%). High age, low educational level, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score >= 1 was associated with a higher risk in AML and MDS patients. Furthermore, non-curative treatment intent and performance status in AML patients, and high risk MDS were associated with elevated risk of psychotropic drug prescription. Conclusion: In conclusion, diagnoses of AML and MDS were associated with a higher rate of psychotropic drugs prescription compared to the background population.

Automated summary

The study found that AML and MDS patients have a higher risk of receiving psychotropic drug prescriptions compared to the background population, with factors such as older age, low educational level, high Charlson Comorbidity Index score, non-curative treatment intent, and performance status being associated with this increased risk.