Reduced Haloperidol Plasma Concentration and Clinical Response in Acute Exacerbations of Schizophrenia
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-1990
Description
Twenty-nine hospitalized patients suffering acute exacerbations of schizophrenia were treated for 2 weeks with fixed daily oral doses of haloperidol prospectively calculated to achieve a haloperidol plasma concentration of either 8-18 ng/ml or 25-35 ng/ml. Reduced haloperidol as well as haloperidol concentrations were assayed to determine if the former enhanced the predictability of response. Week 2 haloperidol plasma concentrations were negatively correlated to clinical response as measured by the percentage change in the BPRS score from baseline (r=-0.43, P<0.05). In contrast, week 2 plasma concentrations of reduced haloperidol, total haloperidol (haloperidol+reduced haloperidol), and reduced haloperidol/haloperidol ratio did not correlate with the change in the BPRS score. Chi-square analysis concluded that patients with ratios greater than one were no less likely to be treatment responders (<25% improvement in BPRS from baseline and week 2 BPRS <55) than those with ratios less than one. Although these data lend additional support to reports of a curvilinear relationship between haloperidol plasma concentration and clinical response, they also suggest that reduced haloperidol plasma concentrations are of no value in predicting treatment response.
Citation Information
Kelly, Michael W.; Perry, Paul J.; Coryell, William H.; Del Miller, D.; and Arndt, Stephan V.. 1990. Reduced Haloperidol Plasma Concentration and Clinical Response in Acute Exacerbations of Schizophrenia. Psychopharmacology. Vol.102(4). 514-520. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02247134 PMID: 2096408 ISSN: 0033-3158