title: Hepatotoxicity of clozapine.
abstract: Two hundred thirty-eight patients treated with either haloperidol or clozapine were investigated to shed more light on the incidence and severity of antipsychotic-induced liver enzyme increase. Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) increase was most frequently seen in both treatment groups. When analyzing the incidence rates for patients with increased liver enzyme values (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, SGPT, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) that were higher than twice the upper limit of the normal range, clozapine-treated patients showed an SGPT increase (37.3%) significantly more frequently than patients treated with haloperidol (16.6%). Both patients with higher clozapine plasma levels and male patients were at a higher risk for an SGPT increase. At least 60% of the increase of the different enzymes remitted within the first 13 weeks of treatment. In general, the authors conclude that clozapine-induced liver enzyme elevation seems to be a common and mostly transient phenomenon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Psychiatry, University Clinics Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hummer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kurzthaler
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oberbauer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Fleischhacker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003024:Clozapine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D004798:Enzymes; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D003024:Clozapine; D006220:Haloperidol