Clinical response and plasma haloperidol levels in schizophrenia

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Abstract
Plasma haloperidol levels were compared to clinical response during the first 14 days of drug treatment in 14 DSM III-diagnosed inpatient schizophrenic patients using an improved methodology, which utilized predetermined constant dosages and derived a therapeutic range of plasma haloperidol levels from a curvilinear regression analysis. An inverted U-shaped relationship was found which reflected a significant curvilinear correlation (r=0.66, P<0.02) between plasma levels (as assayed by gas chromatography) and improvement on the Serial New Haven Schizophrenia Index. A therapeutic window was suggested by the present study, with optimum patient response associated with plasma haloperidol levels of 4.2–11.0 ng/ml for the first 2 weeks of treatment.

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