The effects of long-term clozapine add-on therapy on the rehospitalization rate and the mood polarity patterns in bipolar disorders

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
Jae Seung ChangYong Min Ahn

Abstract

We investigated the effect long-term clozapine add-on therapy has on rehospitalization rate and mood polarity patterns in patients with bipolar disorders. Clinical data from medical records of 51 patients with bipolar disorder (DSM-IV) treated with clozapine add-on for more than 6 months at the Refractory Bipolar Disorders Clinic of Seoul National University Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Patients had been registered from 1995 to 2004. Rehospitalization rates were compared before and after clozapine add-on. The clinical polarity of episodes resulting in hospitalizations was also compared. Twenty-seven bipolar patients treated with clozapine add-on for more than 3 years were further analyzed for long-term stability. The number of hospital days per year was reduced in 90.2% of patients after clozapine add-on. Total number and duration of hospitalizations per year decreased, and the effect size of clozapine add-on was substantially large (Wilcoxon z = -5.48, p < .01 for number of hospitalizations/year; Wilcoxon z = -5.32, p < .01 for hospital days/year; r = -0.54 and -0.53, respectively). Significant reductions were found in the number and duration of hospitalizations associated with manic, depressive, and hypomanic episo...Continue Reading

Citations

Sep 17, 2014·Nordic Journal of Psychiatry·Niko SeppäläOlli Kampman
Apr 16, 2009·Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. Supplementum·G S MalhiUNKNOWN CADE Clinic, University of Sydney
Apr 25, 2012·Bipolar Disorders·Gin S MalhiMichael Gitlin
Sep 4, 2012·Bipolar Disorders·Shi Hui PoonRoss J Baldessarini
Dec 21, 2012·Behavioral and Brain Functions : BBF·Mauro Giovanni CartaAntonio Preti
Oct 28, 2014·Bipolar Disorders·Xian-Bin LiJose de Leon
Jul 12, 2014·Journal of Affective Disorders·Petru IfteniPeter Manu
Sep 24, 2016·Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics·Natália S KapczinskiIves Cavalcante Passos

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by manic and/or depressive episodes and associated with uncommon shifts in mood, activity levels, and energy. Discover the latest research this illness here.

Antipsychotic Drugs

Antipsychotic drugs are a class of medication primarily used to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought), principally in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Discover the latest research on antipsychotic drugs here