Prevalence of Agranulocytoses in the Czech Republic in Patients Treatedwith Clozapine

Overview

The monitoring system LEX-SYS was introduced in the Czech Republic in 1993. Annually 200–250new patients are included into this system. Values of leukocytes and neutrophil granulocytes areregularly monitored in these patients. These values are monitoring weekly during the first 18weeks of treatment, and then monthly until withdrawal of the drug. Till the middle of May 20011737 patients were included in this database. During 7 years of this monitoring system 7 cases ofagranulocytosis (0.4 %) were observed granulocytopenia in 36 cases (2,1 % of all included patients).There was no connection between the dose and patients age. The majority of haematologicalside effects during the first 18 months. Nevertheless even the rest of the 34 % cases lead us tothe conviction about the neccesity of further monitoring of the blood count. In total databasethere was no case of letal agranulocytosis in the monitored patients.

Key words:
agranulocytoses, monitoring system LEX-SYS, clozapine, leukocytes.