CLOZAPINE FOR ADOLESCENTS WITH PSYCHOSIS - LITERATURE-REVIEW AND 2 CASE-REPORTS

Clozapine was effective in treating two adolescents (ages 14 and 16 years) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a long history of behavior problems, and who had failed to respond to treatment with typical antipsychotic medications. Clozapine, at doses of 300-400 mg daily, was effective in ameliorating the predominantly negative symptoms of schizophrenia in one patient and the predominantly positive symptoms in the other. Adverse effects were minimal. Despite the few documented cases of clozapine treatment of adolescents in the literature, the significant risks of side effects, the inconvenience of weekly blood monitoring, the limited availability of systematic research on adolescents, and the special permissions required by insurance companies to pay for the costs of clozapine treatment and monitoring, clozapine may offer the hope for an alternative treatment for certain adolescents with neuroleptic-resistant schizophrenia. Clearance for treatment of these adolescents was provided by the National Clozapine Registry with a minimum of difficulty, paperwork, or delay.