Sammanfattning
Objective: Clozapine is associated with subjectively unpleasant or clinically serious side-effects,
which may affect treatment adherence. The aims of the study were to explore the association of
clozapine+ norclozapine serum concentration and other factors with subjective side-effects in
schizophrenia patients. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 237 patients with a diagnosis of
schizophrenia, schizo-affective or other non-organic psychoses completed the Liverpool University
Neuroleptic Side Effect Rating Scale (LUNSERS), a self-report scale measuring side-effects of
antipsychotics and a clinical questionnaire. Clozapine+ norclozapine serum concentration of 190
patients was measured. Of the patients 80 (33.7%) were on antipsychotic combination therapy.
Results: Higher clozapine+ norclozapine concentrations were associated with the depression-anxiety
factor of LUNSERS and antipsychotic combination treatments were associated with sympatichotonia-
tension factor. Younger patients reported sedation more often than older patients. Conclusion:
According to the present results, high clozapine concentrations were associated with depression-
anxiety symptoms, but the causality remains unknown