Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of COVID-19 infection on antipsychotic drug concentrations.
Methods: The drug concentration data of schizophrenia patients taking antipsychotic drugs before and after infection with the novel coronavirus were collected from medical records. At the same time, blood and serological test results before and after COVID-19 infection were collected. A total of 139 valid data were collected and analysed statistically.
Results: After COVID-19 infection, the serum concentrations of olanzapine, quetiapine, clozapine and risperidone were significantly increased, and the C/D ratio of each drug was significantly increased. After COVID-19 infection, the CRP level, liver function index, kidney function index, blood glucose, blood lipid, electrolyte, myocardial enzyme spectrum, routine blood test results and other indicators changed to varying degrees. An increasing olanzapine concentration was positively correlated with increasing HCY, GLO, SA and MCV. The increasing amplitude of the quetiapine concentration was negatively correlated with the increasing amplitudes of NEFAs and Ca and positively correlated with the increasing amplitude of MON%. An increase in the clozapine concentration was positively correlated with an increase in the CRP level and negatively correlated with an increase in the WBC and NEU%. An increase in the risperidone concentration was positively correlated with increases in the ADA, GGT and RBC levels and negatively correlated with increases in the TBIL, DBIL and BUN levels.
Conclusions: COVID-19 infection resulted in a significant increase in the concentration of antipsychotic drugs and a significant decrease in the metabolic rate of antipsychotic drugs. This may be related to CRP, HCY, ADA, TBIL, DBIL, GGT, GLO, SA, BUN, NEFA, Ca, WBC, NEU#, RBC, and MON%. The monitoring of antipsychotic drug concentrations should be strengthened for patients with COVID-19 infection or other types of inflammation to avoid the occurrence of adverse reactions.
Keywords: COVID-19; Clozapine; Olanzapine; Quetiapine; Risperidone.
© 2025. The Author(s).