PMID- 22466680
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
DCOM- 20120418
LR  - 20140620
IS  - 1105-2333 (Print)
IS  - 1105-2333 (Linking)
VI  - 18
IP  - 4
DP  - 2007 Oct
TI  - Evaluation of therapy with clozapine in outpatient treatment-resistant 
      schizophrenics in Cyprus.
PG  - 361-8
AB  - Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic formulation indicated for schizophrenic 
      patients who are unresponsive or intolerant to traditional antipsychotic therapy. 
      Treatment with this agent is prevalent among schizophrenic patients under 
      psychiatric hospital care, but not among non-hospitalized patients. The aim of 
      this study was to evaluate the response to clozapine treatment, and specifically 
      the effects on the overall functioning of a group of out-patient 
      treatment-resistant schizophrenics. Data from 66 treatment-resistant 
      schizophrenics in Cyprus, 28 female and 38 male, were retrospectively retrieved. 
      The scales used for assessment were Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) 
      and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Also, white blood cell 
      (WBC) counts were examined. Based on the GAF scale it was determined that there 
      was a 49.7+/-23.6 SD point (P < 0.001) significant improvement in the functioning 
      of these patients at the end of the evaluation period with clozapine. 
      Furthermore, utilizing the PANSS, it was concluded that treatment with clozapine 
      significantly improved the positive and negative symptoms as well as the general 
      psychopathology of this patient group. In total, 9 patients were taken off the 
      medication because 2 patients (3%) were completely cured, 5 patients (8%) were 
      unresponsive, 2 (3%) were non-compliant, 1 (2%) developed diabetes and 1 (2%) had 
      considerably low WBC counts during the treatment. The incidence of WBC reduction 
      and need for discontinuation of therapy falls within the expected range of this 
      abnormality in patients taking clozapine. WBC counts were performed weekly for 
      the first 18 weeks and monthly thereafter showed that there was no negative 
      effect on the WBC counts of 65 out of the 66 patients, and thus indicate that 
      clozapine can be safely administered at an out-patient basis. The data indicate a 
      strong improvement in the functioning of this group of patients under outpatient 
      clozapine treatment, without compromising patient safety.
FAU - Mikellidis, Y
AU  - Mikellidis Y
AD  - Behaviour Neurology Center, Nicosia, Cyprus.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - Greece
TA  - Psychiatriki
JT  - Psychiatrike = Psychiatriki
JID - 101534363
EDAT- 2008/10/01 00:00
MHDA- 2008/10/01 00:01
CRDT- 2012/04/03 06:00
PHST- 2012/04/03 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2008/10/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2008/10/01 00:01 [medline]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Psychiatriki. 2007 Oct;18(4):361-8.