Citation

Brunette MF, Dawson R, O'Keefe CD, Narasimhan M, Noordsy DL, Wójcik J, Green AI. J. Dual Diagn. 2011; 7(1-2): 50-63.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15504263.2011.570118

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Cannabis use disorder is the most common co-occurring drug use disorder in people with schizophrenia and is associated with poor outcomes. The authors launched a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of clozapine compared with treatment as usual on cannabis use in patients with schizophrenia and co-occurring cannabis use disorder.

METHODS: Thirty-one patients with schizophrenia and co-occurring cannabis use disorder were randomly assigned to switch to clozapine or to stay on their current antipsychoticand were then followed weekly for 12 weeks. Blinded raters assessed participants weekly with the Timeline Followback for substance use and the expanded Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale for symptoms. Longitudinal random effects models were used to investigate the time-varying differences in cannabis use and other outcomes between the treatment as usual and clozapine groups.

RESULTS: The two groups differed in average intensity of cannabis use by approximately 4.5 joints/week, with lesser use in the clozapine group (t=.1.77; df = 28.5; p =.086; effect size ∼ 0.6). Symptoms and functioning were not different betweenthe two groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Clozapine may reduce cannabis use among patients with schizophrenia and co-occurring cannabis use disorder. Further controlled trials are warranted. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; male; Treatment; insomnia; Schizophrenia; cannabis; Cannabis; depression; schizophrenia; randomized controlled trial; drug use; suicide attempt; treatment outcome; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; clozapine; Clozapine; Substance use disorder; fatigue; article; vomiting; controlled study; neuroleptic agent; clinical article; xerostomia; somnolence; constipation; cannabis addiction; single blind procedure; nausea; weight gain; hypersalivation; akathisia; restlessness; irritability; hypertension; side effect; flu like syndrome; dose response; urine incontinence; diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders; dizziness; nose congestion; libido disorder; drug induced headache; drug dose increase; abnormal dreaming; muscle spasm; Co-occurring; noncardiac chest pain