title: Clozapine for treatment-resistant agitation in dementia.
abstract: Few studies have examined the potential role of clozapine in treatment of agitation in dementia patients who have previously failed to respond to standard pharmacotherapy. We conducted a systematic chart review of all elderly patients admitted to our inpatient unit between 2001 and 2004. Of them, 16 dementia patients were treated with clozapine for treatment-resistant agitation, and their charts were blindly rated by 3 clinicians on the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Scale, Brief Agitation Rating Scale (BARS), and the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory-Short Form (CMAI-SF). Overall, clozapine therapy seemed beneficial in treatment-resistant agitation in dementia patients.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 550 N Broadway, Suite 308, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. hochang@jhmi.edu
authors: Hochang B
authors: HB
authors: Lee
authors: Jennifer A
authors: JA
authors: Hanner
authors: Jessica L
authors: JL
authors: Yokley
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Appleby
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Hurowitz
authors: Constantine G
authors: CG
authors: Lyketsos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003024:Clozapine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003024:Clozapine