Clozapine for treatment-resistant agitation in dementia.
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.
Lee
Hochang B
HB
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
Hanner
Jennifer A
JA
Yokley
Jessica L
JL
Appleby
Brian
B
Hurowitz
Lisa
L
Lyketsos
Constantine G
CG
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
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003024:Clozapine