Clozapine in the treatment of psychotic mood disorders, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Although growing research indicates that the atypical antipsychotic agent clozapine is effective in patients with schizophrenia, little is known about the efficacy of clozapine in patients with schizoaffective disorder or psychotic mood disorders. The purpose of this study was to assess whether or not clozapine is effective in some patients with schizoaffective disorder or psychotic mood disorders.


METHODS
By surveying treating clinicians and chart data, we assessed treatment response in 85 consecutive patients, including 39 with schizophrenia, 25 with schizoaffective disorder, and 14 with bipolar disorder with psychotic features, who received clozapine for at least 6 weeks at our center.


RESULTS
All patients were either inadequately responsive to or unable to tolerate standard somatic therapies. Compared to patients with schizophrenia, patients with schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder with psychotic features displayed significantly higher response rates to clozapine.


CONCLUSIONS
Clozapine may be a useful drug in the treatment of patients with schizoaffective disorder or psychotic mood disorders who are treatment resistant or intolerant of side effects.
Biological Psychiatry Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH 45267-0559.
S L
SL
McElroy
E C
EC
Dessain
H G
HG
Pope
J O
JO
Cole
P E
PE
Keck
F R
FR
Frankenberg
H G
HG
Aizley
S
S
O'Brien
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003024:Clozapine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
D003024:Clozapine