Clinical blood chemistry values and long acting phenothiazines

Fifty-nine chronic schizophrenic patients received one year of treatment with either fluphenazine enanthate or pipothiazine palmitate IM. Both long acting neuroleptics significantly decreased serum albumin, total protein and creatinine values. Triglycerides were decreased only early in treatment. Pretreatment findings from therapy responders, as compared with those who failed to respond to treatment, included higher albumin values and to a lesser extent, lower lactic dehydrogenase values and greater height. These results were discussed with an eye toward the hepatocellular effects of long acting phenothiazines and the effect of liver function on the pharmacokinetics of these medications.