title: Clozapine therapy raises serum concentrations of high sensitive C-reactive protein in schizophrenic patients.
abstract: Eight schizophrenic inpatients without manifest comorbidity were longitudinally studied. The aim was to find whether clozapine, the prototype of atypical antipsychotic drugs, altered their serum concentrations of high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), an inflammatory marker of high clinical importance. Following first-time therapy with clozapine, predominantly as the sole antipsychotic for 8 weeks, hsCRP profiles increased subclinically by 600%. This rise, and the Spearman correlation between hsCRP values and corresponding leukocyte counts, was statistically significant. A one-time cross-section investigation of 25 long-term clozapine patients and 25 patient controls did not show an elevation of hsCRP under clozapine after 1 year and more. It is assumed that the clozapine-evoked increase of hsCRP is part of a transient acute-phase response. The underlying inflammatory process needs clarification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum Offenbach GmbH, Mainz, Germany. SLoeffler@klinikum-offenbach.de
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Löffler
authors.forename: Mignon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Löffler-Ensgraber
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fehsel
authors.forename: Ansgar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klimke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003024:Clozapine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003024:Clozapine