title: Haloperidol plasma levels and clinical response in paranoid schizophrenics.
abstract: The relationship between haloperidol plasma levels, plasma prolactin, and therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in 20 paranoïd schizophrenics in a fixed-dose study for 6 weeks. We found a significant intrapatient cross-correlation of therapeutic efficacy, as measured by decrease in MSS and BPRS rating scales and time-dependent haloperidol and prolactin changes, which were tested at weekly intervals. However, no significant curvilinear relationship was present between steady-state haloperidol plasma levels and MSS and BPRS improvement scores. Our data do not furnish clear-cut evidence in favor of the existence of a therapeutic window for haloperidol plasma levels in paranoïd schizophrenia.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin; D006220:Haloperidol