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Effectiveness of clozapine: A study from North India
Alakananda Dutt1, Sandeep Grover, Subho Chakrabarti
1Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.
Asian Journal of Psychiatry
|October 12, 2012
Summary
Clozapine treatment significantly reduced psychopathology in Indian patients, with sialorrhoea being the most frequent side effect. This study highlights clozapine
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Limited Indian studies evaluate clozapine's effectiveness and tolerability.
- Clozapine is an important atypical antipsychotic for treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients receiving clozapine.
- To evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, and outcomes of clozapine treatment in an Indian inpatient population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of inpatient records from January 2000 to December 2006.
- Analysis of data from 51 patients initiated or continued on clozapine therapy.
- Assessment of psychopathology using the PANSS scale and documentation of side effects.
Main Results:
- The majority of patients were male, single, unemployed, and had significant prior antipsychotic treatment.
- Mean clozapine dose was 298.97mg/day, leading to a 34.7% reduction in PANSS scores during a mean 63-day inpatient stay.
- Sialorrhoea (58.8%) was the most common side effect; leucopenia and seizures occurred in a minority of patients.
Conclusions:
- Clozapine effectively reduces psychopathology in this Indian cohort.
- Sialorrhoea is a prominent side effect requiring monitoring.
- Long-term follow-up indicated sustained use in a significant proportion of patients.
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