923 – Safe Administration Of Clozapine In Hospitalized Psychiatric Patients

Abstract

Clozapine is indicated for the management of severely ill schizophrenic patients

who fail to respond adequately to standard drug treatment for schizophrenia. Agranulocytosis is a life-threatening adverse effect which can occur during administration of clozapine, and frequency estimation is between 0,5 and 2 % of patients. This research was conducted in 136 patients treated with Clozapine, from a total number of 528 patients hospitalized in the Psychiatric Hospital of Sarajevo in one year period. Fifty patients (36,26%) from total were females, and 86 patients (63,74%) were male. Average age was 43,43 years, hospitalized approximately 4,55 times in this hospital, they were treated with Clozapine in mono- or combined therapy with middle dosage of 162,32 mg per day. In most of the cases (68,75%) concomitant therapy was associated to Haloperidole.

According to recommendations of manufacturers and algorithms, laboratory blood monitoring and differential blood monitoring were performed.

In this trial there were no cases what so ever that would include differation of total White Blood Cells number or granulocytes of patients hospitalized and treated with Clozapine in one year period.