Title
Childhood-onset schizophrenia. A double-blind clozapine-haloperidol comparison
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Psychiatry
Publication Date
1996-12-01
Document Type
Article
Subjects
Adolescent; Age Factors; Age of Onset; Child; Child, Preschool; Clozapine; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Haloperidol; Humans; Neutropenia; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Schizophrenia, Childhood; Seizures; Severity of Illness Index; Treatment Outcome
Disciplines
Psychiatry
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Childhood-onset schizophrenia is a rare but severe form of the disorder that is often treatment-refractory. In this study, the efficacy and adverse effects of clozapine and haloperidol were compared for children and adolescents with early-onset schizophrenia.
METHODS: Twenty-one patients (mean [+/-SD] age, 14.0 +/- 2.3 years) with onset of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition-defined schizophrenia that began by age 12 years and who had been nonresponsive to typical neuroleptics participated in the study. Patients were randomized to a 6-week double-blind parallel comparison of clozapine (mean [+/-SD] final dose, 176 +/- 149 mg/d), or haloperidol, (16 +/- 8 mg/d).
RESULTS: Clozapine was superior to haloperidol on all measures of psychosis (P = .04-.002). Positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia improved. However, neutropenia and seizures were major concerns. To date, one third of the group has discontinued using clozapine.
CONCLUSIONS: Clozapine has striking superiority for positive and negative symptoms in treatment-refractory childhood-onset schizophrenia. However, due to possibly increased toxic effects in this pediatric population, close monitoring for adverse events is essential.
Source
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1996 Dec;53(12):1090-7.
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Archives of general psychiatry
Related Resources
PubMed ID
8956674
Repository Citation
Kumra S, Frazier JA, Jacobsen LK, McKenna K, Gordon CT, Lenane MC, Hamburger SD, Smith AK, Albus KE, Alaghband-Rad J, Rapoport JL. (1996). Childhood-onset schizophrenia. A double-blind clozapine-haloperidol comparison. Psychiatry Publications. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/psych_pp/437