[Clozapine for resistant schizophrenia and characteristics of those responding]

Clozapine (Leponex) is an atypical antipsychotic drug which is effective in the treatment of resistant schizophrenia. The most severe side-effect is agranulocytosis, which occurs in 12%. 50 patients with resistant schizophrenia were screened retrospectively in order to characterize features which might help predict good response to the drug. The drug was more effective in young patients with recent onset of illness and short total duration of hospitalization.