TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2000//
TI  - Clozapine for treatment-refractory schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and psychotic bipolar disorder: a 24-month naturalistic study
JO  - Journal of clinical psychiatry
A1  - Ciapparelli, A.
A1  - Dell'Osso, L.
A1  - Pini, S.
A1  - Chiavacci, M. C.
A1  - Fenzi, M.
A1  - Cassano, G. B.
SP  - 329
EP  - 334
VL  - 61
IS  - 5
N2  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the 24-month response to clozapine in patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychotic bipolar disorder. <br><br>METHOD: Ninety-one psychotic patients with a principal DSM-III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia (N = 31), schizoaffective disorder (N = 26), or bipolar disorder with psychotic features (N = 34) were treated naturalistically with clozapine at flexible dosages over a 24-month period. Improvement was assessed by the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity of Illness scale. <br><br>RESULTS: All patients showed significant improvement 24 months from intake (p <.001). Such an improvement was significantly greater among patients with schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder than in patients with schizophrenia (p <.05). The presence of suicidal ideation at intake predicted greater improvement at endpoint. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Clozapine appears to be effective and relatively well tolerated in acute and long-term treatment of patients with psychotic bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder who have not responded to conventional pharmacotherapies.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0160-6689
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v61n0502
ID  - ref1
ER  -