Modular algorithm for tardive dyskinesia diagnosis (MALTD): A demonstration of a methodological concept for diagnostic decision making

• Published in: Journal of psychiatric research 1984, Vol.18 (3), p.245-253
• Main Authors: Severe, Joanne B., Creecy, Robert H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; Diagnosis, Differential; Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced - diagnosis; Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced - drug therapy; Humans; Medical sciences; Methodology. Experimentation; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Software; Techniques and methods
• ISSN: 0022-3956; 1879-1379
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-3956(84)90015-3

A set of algorithms has been written which assign the Research Diagnoses for Tardive Dyskinesia (RD-TD) to patients evaluated for this neurological syndrome that occurs as a side effect of neuroleptic drug treatment. The approach used in constructing these algorithms does not employ decision tree and flowcharting mechanisms often used in making automated diagnoses. Rather, a modular structure is used where a value is assigned to each independent component relevant to tardive dyskinesia, e.g. presence or absence of a minimal amount of abnormal involuntary movements, length of time neuroleptic drug-taking. A particular combination of values of these components determines the diagnosis assigned. Advantages of such a modular system structure are that it permits new components to be added, existing components to be deleted, the criterion levels for existing components to be modified, and/or the definition of any of the diagnostic labels to be altered without affecting other components. Although this algorithm was developed specifically for research in tardive dyskinesia, the authors hope that the concepts of the modular structure will applyto the study of other longitudinal data.