LAUSR

Objective To investigate the cumulative effect of antipsychotics at different dosages on mortality in patients with schizo-phrenia. Methods We analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance System−National Sample Cohort covering the 2002−2013 period. We used Cox regression analysis to calculate hazard ratios for mortality risks according to cumulative antipsychotic exposure levels (low, moderate, and high). Results Our analyses revealed no significant association between antipsychotic exposure and mortality (either all-cause or cause-specific) in patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion Our results imply that the excess mortality of patients with schizophrenia is attributable to factors other than antipsychotic usage.