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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Sep 24.
Published in final edited form as: J Clin Psychiatry. 2017 May;78(5):e545–e552. doi: 10.4088/JCP.16m11031

Table 4.

Predictors of Anticonvulsant Initiation Among Patients who Received a Psychotropic Medication and had no Obvious Indication for an Anticonvulsanta

Regression Model Characteristics
Inclusion Criteria for Model All (n=87,626) Received Specific AC (n=5,532)
Dependent Variable (Received Agent) Any AC Gabapentin Valproic Acid Lamotrigine Topiramate Carbamazepine


Prescription Status, % (n) 6.31% (5,532) 41.6% (2302) 35.6% (1,969) 12.0% (665) 8.4% (465) 3.7%(204)
Model Performance c=0.74 c=0.75 c=0.72 c=0.72 c=0.67 c=0.65
Notation OR (95% CI) OR (95% CI) OR (95% CI) OR (95% CI) OR (95% CI) OR (95% CI)

Patient Characteristics

Age >= 55 0.81
(0.76–0.86)
2.21
(1.94–2.52)
0.54
(0.48–0.62)
0.84
(0.70–1.01)
0.76
(0.61–0.94)
0.90
(0.67–1.23)
Men 1.20
(1.07–1.36)
1.15
(0.87–1.51)
2.79
(2.12–3.67)
0.38
(0.29–0.50)
0.31
(0.23–0.43)
1.47
(0.75–2.87)
Psychotic Disorders (Non-Schizoaffective) 0.81
(0.69–0.96)
0.49
(0.33–0.71)
1.55
(1.11–2.17)
1.15
(0.72–1.83)
0.91
(0.50–1.63)
1.07
(0.50–2.25)
Unipolar Depressive Disorders 1.02
(0.96–1.08)
1.00
(0.88–1.13)
0.77
(0.68–0.87)
1.70
(1.41–2.06)
1.03
(0.84–1.26)
0.85
(0.63–1.15)
Anxiety Disorders 0.96
(0.90–1.03)
1.04
(0.90–1.20)
1.03
(0.90–1.18)
0.86
(0.71–1.05)
1.02
(0.82–1.28)
1.24
(0.90–1.71)
Personality Disorders 1.53
(1.28–1.84)
0.71
(0.47–1.05)
1.64
(1.15–2.34)
1.16
(0.73–1.84)
0.69
(0.37–1.29)
1.75
(0.90–3.41)
Non-Alcohol Substance Use Disorders 0.91
(0.86–0.98)
1.22
(1.06–1.41)
0.99
(0.85–1.14)
0.98
(0.80–1.19)
0.73
(0.57–0.94)
0.68
(0.47–0.98)
History of Traumatic Brain Injury 1.35
(1.18–1.56)
0.77
(0.57–1.05)
1.38
(1.05–1.80)
0.63
(0.41–0.97)
2.27
(1.58–3.27)
1.34
(0.73–2.45)

Service Use Characteristics

Fiscal Years 2008–2013 (v. 2004–2007) 1.03
(0.97–1.09)
1.49
(1.32–1.70)
0.65
(0.57–0.73)
1.71
(1.41–2.06)
0.76
(0.62–0.93)
0.65
(0.47–0.87)
5–13 Mental Health Visits (v. 4 or fewer) 1.41
(1.30–1.53)
1.04
(0.87–1.24)
1.06
(0.89–1.27)
1.13
(0.87–1.49)
1.88
(0.67–1.17)
0.73
(0.49–1.07)
>= 14 Mental Health Visits (v. 4 or fewer) 1.82
(1.66–1.98)
1.25
(1.04–1.52)
0.95
(0.78–1.15)
1.41
(1.06–1.87)
0.84
(0.62–1.14)
0.60
(0.39–0.93)
One or More Inpatient Mental Health Admission 1.70
(1.48–1.94)
0.74
(0.56–0.99)
1.12
(0.86–1.45)
0.67
(0.46–1.00)
0.81
(0.51–1.27)
2.26
(1.39–3.68)
Three or More Psychiatric Medications (v. 1 or 2) 6.15
(5.73–6.60)
0.81
(0.69–0.96)
1.12
(0.94–1.32)
1.36
(1.06–1.74)
1.37
(1.01–1.84)
1.73
(1.12–2.68)
Any Recommended Medication for PTSD 0.41
(0.38–0.44)
1.22
(1.03–1.45)
1.08
(0.91–1.28)
0.51
(0.41–0.64)
1.29
(0.96–1.73)
0.73
(0.49–1.07)

Measures that Apply to AC Population Only

Plurality of AC Prescriptions from Mental Health - 0.24
(0.21–0.28)
3.92
(3.29–4.67)
3.69
(2.74–4.97)
1.49
(1.13–1.96)
1.36
(0.92–1.99)
Plurality of AC Prescriptions from Primary Care - 1.64
(1.34–2.02)
0.70
(0.54–0.91)
0.81
(0.52–1.28)
0.66
(0.43–1.01)
0.48
(0.25–0.94)
a

Note. AC=Anticonvulsant, M=mean, SD=standard deviation, C=C-statistic

OR and 95% CI less than 1

OR and 95% CI greater than 1