Aripiprazole LAI is approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Recently, Europe and Canada approved the use of the two-injection start (TIS) regimen: two separate injections of 400 mg long-acting aripiprazole along with a single 20 mg dose of oral aripiprazole. Aripiprazole showed efficacy in the treatment of adolescents with acute schizophrenia in several controlled trials, leading to its approval for 13-17 year-old adolescents with schizophrenia by the EMA. However, the LAI formulation still remains off-label in adolescents.

To demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the TIS regimen of aripiprazole LAI formulation in a 16 year-old adolescent with schizophrenia.

We evaluated the symptoms of schizophrenia and general severity by means of the PANSS and CGI scales. The scales were administered at hospital admission, after 3 weeks, 5 weeks, and at 4-weeks follow-up.

At the admission the patient PANSS total score was 136, the CGI score of 7. Aripiprazole was started and up-titrated to 30 mg/day. After 3 weeks, the positive symptoms were significantly reduced; due to the persistence of negative symptoms, clozapine 100 mg/day was added. At week 5 the PANSS total score decreased to 81. Due to poor insight we proposed aripiprazole LAI with the two-injection start. One month later, global functioning and illness insight improved; PANSS score was 43, CGI score 2. There was no evidence of akathisia or other side effects.

Aripiprazole LAI showed good efficacy and tolerability in an adolescent with schizophrenia. The two-injection start regimen was a safe and viable option.

No significant relationships.

Clozapine is one of the most effective antipsychotic drugs. On the other hand, it can cause serious side effects which have to be monitored. An adverse effect is myocarditis, a type B Clozapine reaction that can be fatal if it is not early diagnosed.

To report a case of a patient with Clozapine induced myocarditis.

A 48 years old women with a schizoaffective disorder was admitted to our Hospital due to a clinical decompensation. She had a manic episode with psychotic symptoms (persecutory delusions and auditive hallucinations). Clozapine was introduced after there were no improvement with Olanzapine, Risperidone and Valproic Acid. A dose increase was made reaching 100 mg/day the first week and 200 mg/day the second week. The third week she started with a 39ºC fever, decreased oxygen saturation, leukocytosis (9560 103/mm3), elevated PCR (210 mg/l) and elevated troponins (52,88 ng/l). EKG and other medical tests did not show alterations. There was not found a clear etiology, so Clozapine was retired as a cautionary measure. The differential diagnosis for etiology included viral infections, Clozapine induced myocarditis or idiopathic.

A few days after the withdrawal of Clozapine, cardiac symptoms improved, suggesting it was the most probable etiology.

Although it is not very likely to occur, it is important to consider myocarditis as a sever Clozapine side effect.

No significant relationships.