Dyskinesias in the geriatric population

In a population of 500 British geriatric nursing home patients, dyskinesias were assessed using the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale. The prevalence of spontaneous dyskinesias was 13.2%, whereas 22.1% of patients receiving neuroleptics medication demonstrated dyskinesias. The frequency was greater in male patients (21.2%) than in female patients (13.2%). Conjoint treatment with antipsychotic and antiparkinsonian medication resulted in the greatest prevalence of abnormal movements (40.6%). The average age of the study population was 82.6 years, and there was no trend for greater frequencies of dyskinesias according to age.