A Case of Eosinophilia Induced by Clozapine / 신경정신의학

ABSTRACT

Clozapine, one of the dibenzodiazepine derivatives, has potent antipsychotic properties and acts on schizophrenic patients who are nonresponsive to classic neuroleptics without neurologic side effects such as extrapyamidal symptoms, tardive dyskinesia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. But, several blood dyscrasias associated with clozapine are well known to clinicians. Potentially life-threatening agranulocytosis, leukopenia and leukocytosis are most widely reported. Also eosinophilia has been identified as a potential side effect in some studies or case reports. We report a case of severe eosinophilia associated with the administration of clozapine in a male schizophrenic patient, which improved spontaneously along with clozapine maintenance therapy. We also reviewed previous reports of eosinophilia induced by clozapine adminstration and recognized that eosinophilia is not uncommon and transient side effect of clozapine.