No adverse events were observed in clozapine-treated patients on extended hematologic monitoring intervals during the coronavirus pandemic in four psychiatric centers in Japan.

AIM: As an emergency measure during the coronavirus disease pandemic, the monitoring interval for clozapine use was temporarily extended beyond the regulatory requirement in Japan, which is the safest monitoring interval worldwide. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of this measure on patients undergoing clozapine treatment. METHODS: This retrospective chart review study included patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) who were undergoing clozapine treatment at four psychiatric institutions in Japan. Demographic characteristics and clinical information of these patients were collected on April 27, 2020, when Japanese psychiatrists were virtually allowed to prescribe clozapine beyond the regulatory requirement. Furthermore, information of adverse events related to the emergency measure was collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 41 patients with TRS included in this study, 19 patients underwent extended hematological monitoring during clozapine treatment. No psychiatric or hematological adverse events were observed in the patients during the extended monitoring interval. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that there were few adverse events of clozapine-treated patients related to emergency measures in Japan. However, hematological monitoring intervals during clozapine treatment have been emergently extended worldwide; hence, it is necessary to verify the results of these measures.

Hyperactivity and comorbidity in Japanese children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

No previous study about comorbidity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Japan have carried out both a comprehensive investigation using a structured interview and a comparison between ADHD subtypes. The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between hyperactivity and disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) in ADHD by comparing a hyperactivity group (HG) with a non-hyperactivity group (non-HG). After diagnosis was carried out by strict exclusion, the 41 ADHD subjects (6-14 years old; IQ, 70-121) diagnosed according to DSM-IV were divided into HG (n = 24) and non-HG (n = 17), and compared for comorbidities and psychopathologies. This was done via semistructured interview with children and parents and questionnaires to parents and teachers. The results demonstrate that (i) most ADHD children had comorbidity (e.g. DBD or anxiety disorder); (ii) the HG had a significantly higher rate of DBD than the non-HG, but the total number of anxiety disorders was not different between subgroups, and (iii) the HG generally had more serious psychopathologies both at home and at school than the non-HG. Both groups had more serious externalizing and internalizing problems at home than at school. The present study provides evidence of a strong relationship between hyperactivity and DBD.