Switching Antipsychotics: Abrupt Discontinuation Versus Overlap

Summary

Clozapine has been demonstrated to be clinically superior to other antipsychotics in treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), and is positioned as such in treatment guidelines. Because it is relegated to use in TRS, guidelines require that it only be used after other antipsychotics have failed; accordingly, clinicians routinely contend with stopping the previous antipsychotic in making the switch to clozapine. Perhaps because of its numerous and potentially severe side effects, the issue of clozapine titration has frequently been addressed, although to our knowledge no study has, as of yet, assessed the comparability of gradual vs. immediate antipsychotic discontinuation in switching to clozapine. To address the gap in knowledge specific to clozapine, the investigators conducted a pilot, 8-week, double-blind, randomized controlled trial examining immediate vs. gradual antipsychotic discontinuation in patients with schizophrenia undergoing a switch to clozapine.

Timeline

Start

1999-05

Primary completion

2004-07

Completion

2004-07

Publications

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• Background Chakos M, Lieberman J, Hoffman E, Bradford D, Sheitman B. Effectiveness of second-generation antipsychotics in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia: a review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Am J Psychiatry. 2001 Apr;158(4):518-26. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.158.4.518.
• Background Lewis SW, Barnes TR, Davies L, Murray RM, Dunn G, Hayhurst KP, Markwick A, Lloyd H, Jones PB. Randomized controlled trial of effect of prescription of clozapine versus other second-generation antipsychotic drugs in resistant schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 2006 Oct;32(4):715-23. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbj067. Epub 2006 Mar 15.
• Background McEvoy JP, Lieberman JA, Stroup TS, Davis SM, Meltzer HY, Rosenheck RA, Swartz MS, Perkins DO, Keefe RS, Davis CE, Severe J, Hsiao JK; CATIE Investigators. Effectiveness of clozapine versus olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone in patients with chronic schizophrenia who did not respond to prior atypical antipsychotic treatment. Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Apr;163(4):600-10. doi: 10.1176/ajp.2006.163.4.600.
• Background Souza JS, Kayo M, Tassell I, Martins CB, Elkis H. Efficacy of olanzapine in comparison with clozapine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analyses. CNS Spectr. 2013 Apr;18(2):82-9. doi: 10.1017/S1092852912000806. Epub 2012 Dec 20.
• Background Warnez S, Alessi-Severini S. Clozapine: a review of clinical practice guidelines and prescribing trends. BMC Psychiatry. 2014 Apr 7;14:102. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-14-102.
• Background Collins EJ, Lalonde P, Jones BD, Addington D, MacCrimmon DJ, MacEwan GW, Teehan MD. Clozapine in the treatment of refractory schizophrenia: Canadian policies and clinical guidelines. Can J Psychiatry. 1992 Sep;37(7):482-96. doi: 10.1177/070674379203700704. English, French.
• Background Devinsky O, Honigfeld G, Patin J. Clozapine-related seizures. Neurology. 1991 Mar;41(3):369-71. doi: 10.1212/wnl.41.3.369.
• Background Ifteni P, Nielsen J, Burtea V, Correll CU, Kane JM, Manu P. Effectiveness and safety of rapid clozapine titration in schizophrenia. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2014 Jul;130(1):25-9. doi: 10.1111/acps.12241. Epub 2013 Dec 20.
• Background Pacia SV, Devinsky O. Clozapine-related seizures: experience with 5,629 patients. Neurology. 1994 Dec;44(12):2247-9. doi: 10.1212/wnl.44.12.2247.
• Background Ronaldson KJ, Fitzgerald PB, Taylor AJ, Topliss DJ, Wolfe R, McNeil JJ. Rapid clozapine dose titration and concomitant sodium valproate increase the risk of myocarditis with clozapine: a case-control study. Schizophr Res. 2012 Nov;141(2-3):173-8. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2012.08.018. Epub 2012 Sep 23.
• Background Kinon BJ, Basson BR, Gilmore JA, Malcolm S, Stauffer VL. Strategies for switching from conventional antipsychotic drugs or risperidone to olanzapine. J Clin Psychiatry. 2000 Nov;61(11):833-40. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v61n1105.
• Background Lee CT, Conde BJ, Mazlan M, Visanuyothin T, Wang A, Wong MM, Walker DJ, Roychowdhury SM, Wang H, Tran PV. Switching to olanzapine from previous antipsychotics: a regional collaborative multicenter trial assessing 2 switching techniques in Asia Pacific. J Clin Psychiatry. 2002 Jul;63(7):569-76. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v63n0706.
• Background Casey DE, Carson WH, Saha AR, Liebeskind A, Ali MW, Jody D, Ingenito GG; Aripiprazole Study Group. Switching patients to aripiprazole from other antipsychotic agents: a multicenter randomized study. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2003 Apr;166(4):391-9. doi: 10.1007/s00213-002-1344-3. Epub 2003 Feb 28.
• Background Weiden PJ, Simpson GM, Potkin SG, O'Sullivan RL. Effectiveness of switching to ziprasidone for stable but symptomatic outpatients with schizophrenia. J Clin Psychiatry. 2003 May;64(5):580-8. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v64n0514.
• Background Ganguli R, Brar JS, Mahmoud R, Berry SA, Pandina GJ. Assessment of strategies for switching patients from olanzapine to risperidone: a randomized, open-label, rater-blinded study. BMC Med. 2008 Jun 30;6:17. doi: 10.1186/1741-7015-6-17.
• Background Pae CU, Serretti A, Chiesa A, Mandelli L, Lee C, Lee C, Kim J, De Ronchi D, Paik IH. Immediate versus gradual suspension of previous treatments during switch to aripiprazole: results of a randomized, open label study. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2009 Aug;19(8):562-70. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2009.04.002. Epub 2009 May 12.
• Background Stip E, Zhornitsky S, Potvin S, Tourjman V. Switching from conventional antipsychotics to ziprasidone: a randomized, open-label comparison of regimen strategies. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Aug 16;34(6):997-1000. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.05.010. Epub 2010 May 12.
• Background Weiden PJ, Citrome L, Alva G, Brams M, Glick ID, Jackson R, Mattingly G, Kianifard F, Meng X, Pestreich L, Hochfeld M, Winseck A. A trial evaluating gradual- or immediate-switch strategies from risperidone, olanzapine, or aripiprazole to iloperidone in patients with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 2014 Mar;153(1-3):160-8. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2013.11.042. Epub 2014 Feb 12.
• Background Cerovecki A, Musil R, Klimke A, Seemuller F, Haen E, Schennach R, Kuhn KU, Volz HP, Riedel M. Withdrawal symptoms and rebound syndromes associated with switching and discontinuing atypical antipsychotics: theoretical background and practical recommendations. CNS Drugs. 2013 Jul;27(7):545-72. doi: 10.1007/s40263-013-0079-5.
• Background Remington G, Chue P, Stip E, Kopala L, Girard T, Christensen B. The crossover approach to switching antipsychotics: what is the evidence? Schizophr Res. 2005 Jul 15;76(2-3):267-72. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2005.01.009.
• Background Kane J, Honigfeld G, Singer J, Meltzer H. Clozapine for the treatment-resistant schizophrenic. A double-blind comparison with chlorpromazine. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1988 Sep;45(9):789-96. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1988.01800330013001.
• Takeuchi H, Lee J, Fervaha G, Foussias G, Agid O, Remington G. Switching to Clozapine Using Immediate Versus Gradual Antipsychotic Discontinuation: A Pilot, Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Psychiatry. 2017 Feb;78(2):223-228. doi: 10.4088/JCP.15m10286.

Drugs

Indications