Metabolic differences between Asian and Caucasian patients on clozapine treatment

Abstract

Objective: To establish if there are ethnic differences in the various metabolic disturbances that are common with clozapine treatment. Method: Forty subjects (20 Asians and 20 Caucasians) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were recruited for the study. Clozapine blood levels as well as fasting blood glucose, lipid levels, and liver function tests were established. Other clinical parameters such as blood pressure and Body Mass Index (BMI) were recorded for each patient. Results: The mean clozapine dose was significantly higher in the Caucasian subjects (432.5 ± 194.7 mg) as compared to the Asian subjects (175.6 ± 106.9 mg) (p < 0.001) while the mean weight-corrected dose for Asian patients wa..