High-Dose Fluvoxamine Augmentation to Clozapine in Treatment-Resistant Psychosis

Background Although clozapine is the gold standard for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, more than 30% of patients remain unresponsive to clozapine monotherapy and may benefit from augmentation strategies. Fluvoxamine augmentation of clozapine may be beneficial in treatment resistance because of pharmacokinetic interactions, allowing for lower clozapine dosages with higher clozapine serum levels and an increased clozapine-to-norclozapine ratio, which can modify adverse effects. An augmentation strategy using higher fluvoxamine doses may also improve persistent negative, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms through fluvoxamine's serotonergic activity. Methods Through chart review, we identified 4 cases of patients with treatment-resistant psychosis who underwent high-dose fluvoxamine augmentation of clozapine to target residual negative symptoms, refractory psychosis, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Findings This augmentation strategy continued in 2 patients after discharge who showed clinical improvement without significant adverse effects. Two patients experienced adverse effects that led to the fluvoxamine discontinuation. Despite the fact that fluvoxamine augmentation led to symptom improvement in only 2 patients, all patients achieved high serum clozapine levels. Hematologic parameters were monitored in all patients, and no abnormalities were observed. No severe adverse effects of clozapine were experienced. Conclusions Although high variability of responses and adverse effects were observed during fluvoxamine augmentation to clozapine, this strategy was successful in increasing clozapine serum levels. Through fluvoxamine's serotonergic effects, this strategy may confer benefit to residual negative, obsessive, and anxiety symptoms. Limitations of this case series include the retrospective nature, absence of controls, diversity of diagnoses, multiple interventions in each patient, and lack of masked raters.