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The Safety and Efficacy of Clozapine in Severe Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenic Patients in the UK

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

C. E. Adams ,
T. R. E. Barnes ,
M. A. Essali ,
S. R. Hirsch ,
A. V. P. MacKay ,
F. M. Corrigan ,
J. C. Cutting ,
M. Y. Ekdawi ,
P. J. McKenna  and
P. T. S. Milln
...Show all authors
C. E. Adams
Affiliation:
Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, London
T. R. E. Barnes
Affiliation:
Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, London
M. A. Essali
Affiliation:
Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, London
S. R. Hirsch
Affiliation:
Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, London
A. V. P. MacKay
Affiliation:
Argyll & Bute Hospital, Lochgilphead, Argyll
F. M. Corrigan
Affiliation:
Argyll & Bute Hospital, Lochgilphead, Argyll
J. C. Cutting
Affiliation:
The Bethlem Royal Hospital
M. Y. Ekdawi
Affiliation:
Netherne Hospital, Coulsdon, Surrey
P. J. McKenna
Affiliation:
Fulbourn Hospital, Cambridge
P. T. S. Milln
Affiliation:
Royal South Hampshire Hospital, Southampton
A. L. Parker
Affiliation:
Crawley Hospital, Crawley
M. Lader*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, de Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
R. L. Brownsey
Affiliation:
Sandoz Pharma Clinical Development Centre, Sussex House, Grange Road, Uckfield, Sussex
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

In order to assess the safety and some efficacy aspects of clozapine under UK conditions, 54 in-patients with severe treatment-resistant schizophrenic disorders were evaluated using several scales before and during treatment. Of the 54 evaluated, 26 completed the 26-week study. Of these patients, 20 showed improvement in psychopathology, often to a marked degree, involving both positive and negative symptoms. Some oral-facial extrapyramidal side-effects decreased as well. Two patients developed neutropenia, but recovered on discontinuation of clozapine. The most frequent adverse event was hypersalivation, and five patients suffered from seizures. It is concluded that clozapine is worth considering for the treatment of severe treatment-resistant patients in the UK.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 163 , Issue 2 , August 1993 , pp. 150 - 154
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1993 

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