Neutropenia induced by second generation antipsychotics: a prospective investigation

Abstract: Background: Clozapine is known to induce neutropenia as well as agranulocytosis. Some cases of olanzapine and risperidone induced neutropenia and agranulocytosis have also been reported. We prospectively investigated schizophrenia patients treated with second generation antipsychotics with respect to alterations of white blood cell counts. Methods: In an analysis of our drug monitoring program we studied white blood cell counts in 104 patients receiving different second generation antipsychotics other than clozapine for at least six months and compared them to 28 patients receiving clozapine. Results: We found neutropenia (Neutrophiles