Combined clozapine-lithium treatment for schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder

Three adolescent and two adult patients suffering from chronic excited psychoses (either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder) resistant to traditional neuroleptics and clozapine were treated with combined clozapine- lithium. Improvement was assessed with the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impressions, administered before and during combined clozapine-lithium treatment. All patients demonstrated a significant improvement with this combination. There was no occurrence of agranulocytosis, neuroleptic malignant syndrome or other clinically significant adverse effects.