Fluphenazine decanoate and tardive dyskinesia: a possible association

The authors examined the charts of 22 outpatients who had received intramuscular fluphenazine decanoate and oral fluphenazine hydrochloride to assess the incidence of tardive dyskinesia. The severity of tardive dyskinesia was assessed with the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). Both the total dose and average daily dose of fluphenazine decanoate correlated significantly with high AIMS scores. There were also significant correlations of AIMS scores with total dose of antiparkinsonian medication and total dose of other neuroleptics. Total dose of antiparkinsonian medication correlated with total dose of fluphenazine decanoate. The authors discuss the clinical and physiological implications of these correlations.