Clozapine rechallenge

INTRODUCTION: Clozapine, a second-generation antipsychotic (SGA), is considered the gold standard medication to treat patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). Despite its efficacy, clozapine is associated with adverse effects, notably neutropenia and agranulocytosis. Other hematological adverse effects are less common. Severe anemia is a rare adverse effect seldom reported in the literature and is typically associated with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). Nevertheless, the benefits of clozapine in managing TRS make rechallenge a reasonable option...

Antipsychotics can cause hematologic disorders, and they can have life-threatening consequences. Risperidone, less commonly associated with hematologic adverse effects, is an atypical antipsychotic medication used to treat conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and irritability associated with autism. While risperidone primarily affects the central nervous system, it can have some hematologic adverse effects, although these are relatively rare. It is crucial to note that these side effects are not common, and most people taking risperidone do not experience hematologic disorders...

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Despite the evidence that no other antipsychotic is effective as clozapine for the treatment of resistant schizophrenia, it is associated with various metabolic, neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal adverse effects. Guidelines aiming to address the monitoring of clozapine's (serious) adverse effects can be helpful to prevent and treat these effects. However, many of these guidelines seem to lack one or more important monitoring recommendations...

Clozapine is an antipsychotic medication that has been proven effective for the management of treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). For some patients, it is the only medication that can improve disease burden and quality of life. Clozapine comes with various potentially serious adverse effects which may dissuade physicians from prescribing it despite its well-documented efficacy. One of these adverse effects is clozapine-induced myocarditis (CIM). Due to these risks, patients who undergo a clozapine rechallenge after CIM require close monitoring...

After the introduction of clozapine eight Finnish patients died after developing agranulocytosis. Clozapine was withdrawn from the market and only reintroduced with strict mandatory white blood cell monitoring as long as treatment lasts and thresholds at which clozapine must be discontinued definitively. The fear of agranulocytosis and the need for intensive blood monitoring is the single most important barrier for prescribers and patients alike and leads to underprescription of the only effective and approved medication for treatment-resistant schizophrenia...

Clozapine is effective in up to 50 % of patients resistant to other antipsychotics. Its use is restricted to third-line due to adverse effects which include myocarditis. Australia reports the highest incidence of clozapine-associated myocarditis (CAM) in the context of pharmacovigilance and relatively rapid titration. An audit of patients commenced on clozapine within the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) between 2012 and 2015 found an incidence of 8.6 %. We present here a case series from a follow up audit considering titration relevant risk factors for CAM...

BACKGROUND: Little information is available on clozapine discontinuation rates in developing country settings. AIM: The present study aimed to evaluate the incidence and reasons clinicians stopped clozapinine in patients after initiating treatment with the same. In addition, the study also aimed to assess the rechallenge rate, that is, restarting clozapine after a decision to discontinue the same by the clinicians. METHODOLOGY: The treatment records of 859 patients started on clozapine were reviewed to identify the patients for whom the clinician stopped clozapine at least once because of any reason...

BACKGROUND: Little information is available on clozapine discontinuation rates in developing country settings. AIM: The present study aimed to evaluate the incidence and reasons clinicians stopped clozapinine in patients after initiating treatment with the same. In addition, the study also aimed to assess the rechallenge rate, that is, restarting clozapine after a decision to discontinue the same by the clinicians. METHODOLOGY: The treatment records of 859 patients started on clozapine were reviewed to identify the patients for whom the clinician stopped clozapine at least once because of any reason...

BACKGROUND: Due to its unique efficacy in treatment-resistant schizophrenia, discontinuation of treatment with clozapine is frequently associated with a significant worsening of symptoms, but also with an increased risk of suicide. Based on the literature, this review aims at summarizing different monitoring recommendations in order to be able to continue this therapy despite the occurrence of side effects. In addition, we provide recommendations when rechallenge of a previously stopped treatment with clozapine can be considered and when a definite discontinuation must take place...

OBJECTIVES: To identify the risks and benefits of clozapine‑lithium co-prescription. METHODS: Articles published in English or French were identified with a MEDLINE, Web of Sciences and PsycINFO search, from inception through January 2023, using the term 'clozapine' in combination with 'lithium'. Data were synthesized narratively. RESULTS: Of the 67 articles included in the review, more than half (n = 38, 56.7 %) were focused on clozapine-related blood dyscrasia...

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: There is limited evidence to guide the approaches to clozapine treatment. Accordingly, an international initiative was undertaken with the aim of developing consensus recommendations for the optimization of clozapine monotherapy. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted an online Delphi survey among members of the Treatment Response and Resistance in Psychosis (TRRIP) working group comprising experts from twenty-nine countries. The threshold criterion for a consensus recommendation was ≥ 75% agreement ("agree" and "strongly agree" responses) on a question...

OBJECTIVES: Rechallenge/continuation of clozapine in association with colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) following neutropenia/agranulocytosis has been reported, but many questions remain unanswered about efficacy and safety. This systematic review aims to assess the efficacy and safety of rechallenging/continuing clozapine in patients following neutropenia/agranulocytosis using CSFs. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception date to July 31, 2022...

Objectives: An international guideline recently provided certain personalized schedules for titrating clozapine in adult inpatients by considering: 1) DNA ancestry group, 2) sexsmoking subgroup, and 3) presence/absence of clozapine poor metabolizer (PM) status. Measuring CRP levels at baseline and during the first 4 weeks is recommended. Titrations too fast for the metabolism of specific patients can lead to clozapine-induced inflammations and CRP elevations. Methods: Three published cases are reinterpreted...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

AIMS: Clozapine is licensed for treatment-resistant psychosis and remains underutilised. This may berelated to the stringent haematological monitoring requirements that are mandatory in most countries. We aimed to compare guidelines internationally and develop a novel Stringency Index. We hypothesised that the most stringent countries would have increased healthcare costs and reduced prescription rates. METHOD: We conducted a literature review and survey of guidelines internationally...

Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) classically presents as acute kidney injury most often induced by offending drugs. Less frequently it is secondary to infections, autoimmune disorders, or idiopathic conditions. Development of drug-related AIN is not dose dependent and a recurrence can occur with re-exposure to the drug. We present a 50-year-old male with treatment resistant schizoaffective disorder who developed clozapine-induced AIN, confirmed with kidney biopsy within 2 months of taking this medication...

BACKGROUND: Although clozapine-induced granulocytopenia (CIG) is less severe than clozapine-induced agranulocytosis (CIA), and some patients with CIG may not go on to develop serious complications, clozapine is discontinued in cases of both CIA and CIG. Understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of CIA/CIG could provide better management of clozapine therapy. Recently, as a mechanistic insight into adaptive immune systems, European groups reported clozapine-specific proliferative responses and clozapine-specific T cells using blood taken from patients with CIA and/or CIG...

BACKGROUND: Clozapine is uniquely effective in treatment-resistant psychosis. In the UK, patients must discontinue clozapine indefinitely if they are placed on the Central Non-Rechallenge Database (CNRD) after their haematological parameters fall below particular thresholds. Under exceptional circumstances, patients can be rechallenged on clozapine under an off-licence agreement. In the USA in 2015, restrictive practice was discontinued to allow greater flexibility for clozapine maintenance...

BACKGROUND: Clozapine is an effective antipsychotic for Parkinson's disease (PD) that does not worsen motor function and can improve tremor. It is approved for PD psychosis in Europe and Australia. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report on the use of clozapine in a movement disorder clinic. METHODS: We report on patients monitored during the COVID-19 pandemic in clinic over a 7-month period. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were seen, of whom 50 had PD...