Evolution of plasma homovanillic acid (HVA) in chronic schizophrenic patients treated with haloperidol.
In a 4-week study of 14 drug-free schizophrenic patients (according to DSM-III-R), free and conjugated fractions of plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA) were repeatedly measured. Free HVA levels decreased during the first 2 h of haloperidol intake (P < 0.03). Conjugated HVA levels slowly decreased during the following weeks (P < 0.05), while free HVA levels remained stable. After 4 weeks, free HVA levels remained unchanged 2 h after morning haloperidol intake, but conjugated HVA levels tended to increase. In haloperidol responders, at baseline the free/total HVA ratio was significantly higher than that in non-responders (P < 0.01). Tolerant patients, i.e. those whose post-treatment free HVA levels decreased below pre-treatment levels, were not found to respond better to haloperidol than non-tolerant patients. The balance between free and conjugated pHVA may be a better reflection of the action of haloperidol than free pHVA levels and it may be of prognostic value in terms of drug response.
Galinowski
A
A
University Clinic of Mental Health and Therapeutics, Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris, France.
Poirier
M F
MF
Aymard
N
N
Leyris
A
A
Beauverie
P
P
Bourdel
M C
MC
Loo
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D006220:Haloperidol; D006719:Homovanillic Acid