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Aga Khan University

Brain and Mind Institute

2018

Clozapine; pneumonia; schizophrenia

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Clozapine Is Associated With Secondary Antibody Deficiency, Mark Ponsford, Daniel Castle, Tayyeb Tahir, Rebecca Robinson, Wendy Wade, Rachael Steven, Kathryn Bramhall, Mo Moody Mo Moody, Emily Carne, Catherine Ford Sep 2018

Clozapine Is Associated With Secondary Antibody Deficiency, Mark Ponsford, Daniel Castle, Tayyeb Tahir, Rebecca Robinson, Wendy Wade, Rachael Steven, Kathryn Bramhall, Mo Moody Mo Moody, Emily Carne, Catherine Ford

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Schizophrenia affects 1% of the population. Clozapine is the only medication licensed for treatment-resistant schizophrenia and is intensively monitored to prevent harm from neutropenia. Clozapine is also associated with increased risk of pneumonia although the mechanism is poorly understood.AimsTo investigate the potential association between clozapine and antibody deficiency.

Methods: Patients taking clozapine and patients who were clozapine-naive and receiving alternative antipsychotics were recruited and completed a lifestyle, medication and infection-burden questionnaire. Serum total immunoglobulins (immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgA, IgM) and specific IgG antibodies to haemophilus influenzae type B, tetanus and IgG, IgA and IgM to pneumococcus were measured.

Results: Immunoglobulins …