Low-Dose Clozapine in Early-Onset Resistant Schizophrenia: Case Report and 2-Year Follow-up

Abstract

Childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) is considered a rare and severe form of schizophrenia, with onset before age 13 and only half of affected patients responding to nonclozapine antipsychotics.¹ These patients with resistant COS show favorable responses to clozapine, but with higher adverse effects than seen in adults. Some resistant cases respond at a lower dose with minimal adverse effects.² However, it is unclear which patients will respond to a low dose and how long one should wait before increasing the dose of clozapine. We report a patient with resistant COS who showed a favorable but delayed-onset response to low-dose clozapine.