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Plasma Clozapine and Norclozapine After Use of Either Crushed Tablets or Suspension Compared With Tablets

Flanagan, Robert; Hunter, Samora; Obee, Stephen J; Reeves, Suzanne; (2022) Plasma Clozapine and Norclozapine After Use of Either Crushed Tablets or Suspension Compared With Tablets. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology , 42 (4) pp. 400-404. 10.1097/JCP.0000000000001560. Green open access

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Abstract

Background: With clozapine, either crushed tablets suspended in an aqueous medium or proprietary suspension is sometimes prescribed as an alternative to tablets, but bioequivalence data are scant. / Methods: We compared clozapine dose, and plasma clozapine and N-desmethylclozapine (norclozapine) concentrations after use of either tablets or crushed tablets/suspension in samples submitted for clozapine therapeutic drug monitoring, 1993 to 2017. / Results: There were 846 patients (1646 samples) given crushed tablets/suspension and 6065 patients (10,779 samples) given tablets. The median dose (mg d−1) was significantly higher in men (500 vs 450) and women (500 vs 400) given crushed tablets/suspension, but the median plasma clozapine and norclozapine concentrations (mg L−1) were significantly lower (men: 0.29 and 0.22 vs 0.39 and 0.28; women: 0.35 and 0.26 vs 0.50 and 0.32, respectively). A subgroup of 480 patients was prescribed either crushed tablets/suspension (1016 samples) or tablets (1259 samples) at different times. The median dose was again significantly higher in men (500 vs 500) and women (500 vs 450), but the median plasma clozapine and norclozapine concentrations were significantly lower (men: 0.29 and 0.22 vs 0.32 and 0.24; women: 0.30 and 0.24 vs 0.38 and 0.29, respectively). / Implications: Poor adherence, sedimentation of suspension before use, and incomplete dosage are potential contributors to the lower median plasma clozapine and norclozapine concentrations observed after use of either crushed clozapine tablets or suspension as compared with tablets. Those administering crushed tablets/suspension should be aware of these factors.

Type: Article
Title: Plasma Clozapine and Norclozapine After Use of Either Crushed Tablets or Suspension Compared With Tablets
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000001560
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000001560
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
UCL classification: UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Division of Psychiatry
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10150084
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