The Impacts of Clozapine Use on the Risk and Outcomes of COVID-19 Disease in Patients with Schizophrenia


Özdemir M., Yildirim Y. E., Kart A.

Noropsikiyatri Arsivi, cilt.60, sa.2, ss.99-103, 2023 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus, TRDizin)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 60 Sayı: 2
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.29399/npa.28317
  • Dergi Adı: Noropsikiyatri Arsivi
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, Psycinfo, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.99-103
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Clozapine, COVID-19, schizophrenia
  • Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Introduction: Clozapine may affect the outcome of severe COVID-19 infection due to its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects. This study aimed to investigate whether the risk of COVID-19 changed in schizophrenic patients using clozapine and to compare patients using clozapine with other antipsychotics in terms of COVID-19 severity. Methods: A total of 732 patients who were registered and followed up with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were included in the study. These patients’ sociodemographic data, smoking status, medications, comorbidities, COVID-19 PCR results, and COVID-19 outcomes (inpatient care admission, intensive care unit admission, death) were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Of the 732 patients included in our study, 177 were using clozapine. Ninety-six of 732 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19, and 34 of these were being treated with clozapine. We found that clozapine use was an independent risk factor for COVID-19 positivity (OR=1.81 95% CI=1.13–2.90), inpatient care admission (OR=3.01, 95% CI=1.12–8.06). Conclusion: In our study, clozapine use was associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 positivity and inpatient care admission; however, it was not associated with ICU admission or death. Due to the frequent follow-up of patients using clozapine and the effects of clozapine on immunity, the frequency and/or identification of COVID-19 may be increased in these patients. Clozapine toxicity, granulocytopenia or agranulocytosis during the COVID-19 infection may have increased these patients’ hospitalisation frequency.