Treatment-refractory schizophrenia in children and adolescents: an update on clozapine and other pharmacologic interventions

Treatment-refractory schizophrenia in children and adolescents: an update on clozapine and other pharmacologic interventions

Treatment-refractory early-onset schizophrenia is a rare but severe form of the disorder associated with poor premorbid function and long-term disability. The currently available evidence suggests that clozapine remains the most efficacious treatment for the amelioration of both positive and negativ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America Vol. 15; no. 1; p. 135
Main Authors: Kranzler, Harvey N, Kester, Hana M, Gerbino-Rosen, Ginny, Henderson, Inika N, Youngerman, Joseph, Beauzile, Guy, Ditkowsky, Keith, Kumra, Sanjiv
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 01-01-2006
Subjects:
Adolescent
Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects
Antipsychotic Agents - pharmacokinetics
Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use
Benzodiazepines - adverse effects
Benzodiazepines - pharmacokinetics
Benzodiazepines - therapeutic use
Child
Clozapine - adverse effects
Clozapine - pharmacokinetics
Clozapine - therapeutic use
Drug Resistance
Humans
Schizophrenia - drug therapy
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Summary:Treatment-refractory early-onset schizophrenia is a rare but severe form of the disorder associated with poor premorbid function and long-term disability. The currently available evidence suggests that clozapine remains the most efficacious treatment for the amelioration of both positive and negative symptoms of the disorder and problematic aggressive behaviors. Clozapine use in children and adolescents, however, is limited by its association with hematologic adverse events and an increased frequency of seizure activity. Further studies are needed to examine the usefulness of antipsychotic combinations and of augmentation therapies to antipsychotic medications in order to treat persistent residual psychotic symptoms in children and adolescents who have schizophrenia and who have not responded to several sequential trials of antipsychotic monotherapy.
ISSN:1056-4993
DOI:10.1016/j.chc.2005.08.008