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Agranulocytosis and significant leucopenia with neuroleptic drugs: results from the AMÜP program

Agranulocytosis and significant leucopenia with neuroleptic drugs: results from the AMÜP program 213 99 99 1 1 R. Grohmann L. G. Schmidt C. Spieß-Kiefer E. Rüther Psychiatric Department of the Munich University Nußbaumstrasse 7 D-8 München 2 Federal Republic of Germany Psychiatric Department of the Free University of Berlin Eschenallee 3 D-1000 Berlin 19 Psychiatric Department of the University of Göttingen v. Siebold-Strasse 5 D-3400 Göttingen Federal Republic of Germany Abstract In the Federal Republic of Germany adverse drug reactions (ADR) have been continously assessed at the departments of Psychiatry of Berlin and Munich since May 1979. About 13000 neuroleptic-treated inpatients were monitored until August 1988. Approximately 1100 patients were exposed to clozapine, 6800 to haloperidol and 6000 to perazine, the two most frequently used neuroleptic drugs. In this 9-year period seven cases of agranulocytosis were observed, all in women. One case occurred with clozapine in monotherapy, the other six with perazine, three times in monotherapy, once in combination with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and in one case each in combination with tricyclic antidepressants. Significant leucopenia (≤3000/mm 3 ) was observed in an additional eight cases. On four occassions each butyrophenones (twice in combination with TCA) and tricyclic neuroleptics (once in combination with TMS) were involved. The number of exposed patients per drug is too small for calculation of statistically valid incidence rates, especially in view of the frequent polypharmacy. The course of agranulocytosis was benign in all seven cases and required no other treatment than drug withdrawal in three cases. The early detection by regular WBCs is supposed to be mainly responsible for this and is therefore recommended at weekly intervals. This measure of safety appears most important for all medium potency tricyclic neuroleptics. As to treatment of agranulocytosis, additional measures (antibiotics, intensive medical care) depend upon the severity of the clinical picture. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Psychopharmacology Springer Journals

Agranulocytosis and significant leucopenia with neuroleptic drugs: results from the AMÜP program

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References (14)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 by Springer-Verlag
Subject
Biomedicine; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Psychiatry
ISSN
0033-3158
eISSN
1432-2072
DOI
10.1007/BF00442573
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

213 99 99 1 1 R. Grohmann L. G. Schmidt C. Spieß-Kiefer E. Rüther Psychiatric Department of the Munich University Nußbaumstrasse 7 D-8 München 2 Federal Republic of Germany Psychiatric Department of the Free University of Berlin Eschenallee 3 D-1000 Berlin 19 Psychiatric Department of the University of Göttingen v. Siebold-Strasse 5 D-3400 Göttingen Federal Republic of Germany Abstract In the Federal Republic of Germany adverse drug reactions (ADR) have been continously assessed at the departments of Psychiatry of Berlin and Munich since May 1979. About 13000 neuroleptic-treated inpatients were monitored until August 1988. Approximately 1100 patients were exposed to clozapine, 6800 to haloperidol and 6000 to perazine, the two most frequently used neuroleptic drugs. In this 9-year period seven cases of agranulocytosis were observed, all in women. One case occurred with clozapine in monotherapy, the other six with perazine, three times in monotherapy, once in combination with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and in one case each in combination with tricyclic antidepressants. Significant leucopenia (≤3000/mm 3 ) was observed in an additional eight cases. On four occassions each butyrophenones (twice in combination with TCA) and tricyclic neuroleptics (once in combination with TMS) were involved. The number of exposed patients per drug is too small for calculation of statistically valid incidence rates, especially in view of the frequent polypharmacy. The course of agranulocytosis was benign in all seven cases and required no other treatment than drug withdrawal in three cases. The early detection by regular WBCs is supposed to be mainly responsible for this and is therefore recommended at weekly intervals. This measure of safety appears most important for all medium potency tricyclic neuroleptics. As to treatment of agranulocytosis, additional measures (antibiotics, intensive medical care) depend upon the severity of the clinical picture.

Journal

Psychopharmacology – Springer Journals

Published: Mar 1, 1989

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