Doses, serum concentrations and diagnoses of Norwegian quetiapine users
2001-2019 in a therapeutic drug monitoring material
Abstract
Over the past decade, increasing off-label use of quetiapine has been
reported worldwide from various sources. We wanted to investigate how
this is reflected in therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) data.
Requisitions for serum concentration measurements of quetiapine from a
TDM service in Central Norway during 2001-2019 were obtained, and
analyzed for trends in quetiapine doses, serum concentrations,
demographics and indicators of diagnoses. 19759 samples from 7459
individuals were included. Daily doses of quetiapine decreased by 24 mg
per year (95% CI -25.61 - -21.48, p<0.001, N=4505). A
corresponding decrease in quetiapine serum concentrations was not seen.
The proportion of requisitions with diagnoses indicating reimbursable
use, i.e. within approved indications, was 13 % for the whole study
period. Mean daily doses were slightly higher in the reimbursable group,
but declined over time in these samples, as well. To our understanding,
these results provide additional documentation of increasing low-dose
usage of quetiapine, and signal both increasing off-label use, as well
as possibly higher dose-intake than prescribed and incorrect filing of
reimbursable use in this population. There is a continued need for
investigation and characterization of quetiapine use and prescription
practices, and the extent of and motivations for off-label prescription
of the drug.