Schizophrenia (Nov 2023)

Slower clozapine titration is associated with delayed onset of clozapine-induced fever among Japanese patients with schizophrenia

  • Yuki Kikuchi,
  • Yuji Yada,
  • Yuji Otsuka,
  • Fumiaki Ito,
  • Hiroaki Tanifuji,
  • Hiroshi Komatsu,
  • Hiroaki Tomita

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-023-00412-6
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 3

Abstract

Read online

Abstract Clozapine-induced fever marks the beginning of its inflammatory and potentially life-threatening adverse effects, such as myocarditis. We retrospectively analyzed the correlation between clozapine titration rate and fever onset date in 254 Japanese patients, including 55 with treatment-resistant schizophrenia who developed clozapine-induced fever. Pearson’s product-moment correlation indicated a significant delay in the fever onset date with slower titration. Most fever onset cases occurred within 4 weeks, even with slow titration. Therefore, clinicians should remain vigilant in monitoring clozapine-induced fever within 4 weeks of clozapine initiation, regardless of the titration rate.