Effect of Scopolamine Butylbromide on Clozapine-induced Hypersalivation in Schizophrenic Patients: A Case Series.
Clozapine has been demonstrated to be useful for treating refractory schizophrenia. However, hypersalivation occurs in 31.0- 97.4% of the patients treated with clozapine. Accordingly, some patients who are disturbed by their hypersalivation refuse to continue with clozapine treatment. This study investigated the efficacy of the anticholinergic agent scopolamine butylbromide against clozapine-induced hypersalivation. Five schizophrenia patients were coadministered scopolamine butylbromide (30-60 mg/ day) for 4 weeks. At the baseline and after 4 weeks' treatment, we subjectively evaluated hypersalivation using a visual analog scale and objectively assessed it using the Drooling Severity Scale and Drooling Frequency Scale. As a result, improvements in the patients' Drooling Severity Scale and Drooling Frequency Scale scores, but no improvements in their visual analog scale scores, were observed after scopolamine butylbromide treatment. These results indicate that at least some schizophrenic patients with clozapine-induced hypersalivation would benefit from scopolamine butylbromide treatment. We conclude that clozapine-induced hypersalivation is one factor of stress to patients. Subjective hypersalivation was not improved, but objective hypersalivation was, by scopolamine butylbromide treatment. However, scopolamine butylbromide and clozapine possess anticholinergic effects so clinicians should closely monitor patients who take scopolamine butylbromide.
Department of Psychiatry, Okehazama Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.|Office of Clinical Pharmacy Practice and Health Care Management Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan.
Ippei
I
Takeuchi
Department of Psychiatry, Okehazama Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
Tatsuyo
T
Suzuki
Department of Psychiatry, Okehazama Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
Taro
T
Kishi
Department of Psychiatry, Okehazama Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
Daisuke
D
Kanamori
Office of Clinical Pharmacy Practice and Health Care Management Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan.
Manako
M
Hanya
Department of Psychiatry, Okehazama Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
Junji
J
Uno
Department of Psychiatry, Okehazama Hospital, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
Kiyoshi
K
Fujita
Office of Clinical Pharmacy Practice and Health Care Management Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan.
Hiroyuki
H
Kamei
Clozapine; Hypersalivation; Schizophrenia; Scopolamine butylbromide; Sialorrhea