Augmentation Strategies for Treatment-Resistant Disorders

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-227
Author(s):  
Yi-Hang Chiu ◽  
Chia-Yueh Hsu ◽  
Mong-Liang Lu ◽  
Chun-Hsin Chen

Background: Clozapine has been used in treatment-resistant patients with schizophrenia. However, only 40% of patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia have response to clozapine. Many augmentation strategies have been proposed to treat those clozapine-resistant patients, but the results are inconclusive. In this review, we intended to review papers dealing with the augmentation strategies in the treatment of clozapineresistant patients with schizophrenia. Method: We reviewed randomized, double-blind, placebo- or sham-controlled trials (RCT) for clozapine-resistant patients with schizophrenia in Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane, and PubMed database from January 1990 to June 2019. Results: Antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, brain stimulation, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and other strategies, were used as an augmentation in clozapine-resistant patients with schizophrenia. Except for better evidence in memantine with 2 RCTs and cognitive behavior therapy in 2 studies to support its effectiveness, we found that all the other effective augmentations, including sulpiride, ziprasidone, duloxetine, mirtazapine, ECT, sodium benzoate, ginkgo biloba, and minocycline, had only one RCT with limited sample size. Conclusion: In this review, no definite effective augmentation strategy was found for clozapine-resistant patients. Some potential strategies with beneficial effects on psychopathology need further studies with a larger sample size to support their efficacy.


CNS Spectrums ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-74
Author(s):  
Charles Odom ◽  
Frozan Walyzada ◽  
Pankaj Manocha ◽  
Monika Gashi ◽  
Ashaki Martin ◽  
...  

AbstractStudy ObjectivesThis retrospective analysis hopes to add to the literature about Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia (TRS), augmentation strategies with antipsychotics used in our patient population with the hopes of clarifying what possibilities should be further studied. In addition, we aim to emphasize the need for focusing on individualized treatment and multidisciplinary efforts to ensure compliance and appropriate disposition options.MethodWe reviewed retrospectively 3025 charts of patients between January 2017 to March 2017 in our outpatient department establishing which antipsychotic clozapineaugmentation strategies were being used. We also did a literature review to establish what augmentation strategies are recommended. These patients will then be compared to a random sample of patients in the clinic who were not prescribed clozapine and compared for readmission rate, side effect profile, length of stay while admitted, frequency of clinic attendance and compliance with outpatient appointments.ResultsOut of 3025 patients 35 were prescribed Clozapine as monotherapy and 5 patients had clozapine plus psychopharmacological augmentation. Ages ranged from 21-86. Out of the 39 patients, there were 13 male and 26 female. The predominant diagnosis was mood disorder or MDD with psychotic features followed by schizophrenia. The augmentation antipsychotics used were aripiprazole and risperidone. In the literature, the most frequent augmentation strategy for TRS is adding another antipsychotic with more D2 receptor blockade. Other strategies involve identifying and treating the symptoms not controlled by clozapine.ConclusionsCurrently augmentation of Clozapine in TRS is highly individualized due to lack of supporting evidence to state the contrary. When working with treatmentresistant patients who are not responding to clozapine alone, it is imperative to thoroughly review and consider all treatment options and augmentation strategies. More studies should be done in controlled settings to better evaluate possibilities as well as more evaluations to be done on other ways of augmentation of clozapine. Literature has stated between 20-60% of patients are defined as TRS. Clozapine is considered as one of the most effective treatment available at present time for TRS. Recent literature suggests despite its superior efficacy, as many as 70% of those suffering from TRS on clozapine continue to suffer from positive, negative or cognitive symptoms. The literature has abundant adjunctive treatment strategies such as the addition of antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, or even with the use of electroconvulsive therapy. We emphasize the importance of correctly identifying TRS patients who may benefit from the initiation of clozapine, what would be beneficial for them if they do not respond, how to tailor their treatment to target symptoms not being ameliorated, and recommend treatment in these complex cases be multidisciplinary.Funding AcknowledgementsNo funding.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domenico De Berardis ◽  
Nicola Serroni ◽  
Stefano Marini ◽  
Giovanni Martinotti ◽  
Francesca Ferri ◽  
...  

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic condition characterized by obsessions or compulsions that cause distress or interfere with functioning. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the first-line strategy in the treatment of OCD, but approximately 40% to 60% of patients with OCD fail to respond to them. Several augmentation strategies have been proposed, including the use of atypical antipsychotics and antidepressant combinations. In the present paper we describe the case of a young female patient suffering from severe treatment-resistant OCD who remitted as a result of agomelatine augmentation of escitalopram therapy.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 244-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Davey ◽  
Siobhan Gee ◽  
Sukhi S. Shergill

SummaryA case is presented of a 25-year-old man with treatment-resistant paranoid schizophrenia whose only previous trial of clozapine had been stopped following a suspected clozapine-induced myocarditis. Due to the failure of his psychosis to respond to a number of antipsychotic treatments and augmentation strategies, clozapine was restarted on admission. His rechallenge was marked by intermittent pyrexia, tachycardia and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), but eosinophilia was absent. Clozapine was started and then stopped twice following extensive investigation and with specialist cardiology consultation. Physical symptoms and CRP elevation resolved shortly after clozapine cessation. We believe this constituted an idiosyncratic systemic inflammatory response to clozapine treatment.


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