Leukocyte Adhesiveness/Aggregation and Neuroleptic Drug Treatment

Leukocyte adhesiveness/aggregation as measured by the leukergy test was studied in peripheral citrated blood of two groups of schizophrenic patients treated with neuroleptic drugs. In the first group (N=25) leukergy test was performed before and after commencement of neuroleptic treatment to acutely psychotic hospitalized patients. The second group studied (N=25) were stabilized outpatients receiving long term neuroleptic medications for at least 3 months.There was a significant rise in leukergy rates between the drug free period and the subsequent measurements performed after 1 and 7 days of neuroleptic treatment in the first group (p < 0 011). Similar high leukergy rates were noted in the second group of remitted patients. High leukergy rates were related to neuroleptic therapy and not to the psychotic state of the patients.