Effects of clonidine in schizophrenic patients with primary polydipsia: Three single case studies

• Published in: Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 387 - 392
• Main Authors: Delva, Nicholas J., Chang, Anna, Hawken, Emily R., Lawson, J.Stuart, Owen, James A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.02.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adrenergic alpha-Agonists - adverse effects; Adrenergic alpha-Agonists - pharmacology; Adrenergic alpha-Agonists - therapeutic use; Adult; Analysis of Variance; Antidipsic drugs; Biological and medical sciences; Catecholaminergic system; Chronic Disease; Clonidine; Clonidine - adverse effects; Clonidine - pharmacology; Clonidine - therapeutic use; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drinking Behavior - drug effects; Drinking Behavior - physiology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Neuropharmacology; Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmission. Receptors; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pilot Projects; Primary polydipsia; Prospective Studies; Psycholeptics: tranquillizer, neuroleptic; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Schizophrenia - urine; Thirst; Thirst - drug effects; Thirst - physiology; Water Intoxication - drug therapy; Water Intoxication - psychology; Water Intoxication - urine; Schizophrenia; Primary polydipsia; Antidipsic drugs; Clonidine; Thirst; ANOVA; Human; α2-Adrenergic receptor; Imidazole derivatives; Agonist; Drug combination; Neuroleptic; Psychotropic; Long term; Psychosis; Case study; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Drug interaction; Polydipsia
• DOI: 10.1016/S0278-5846(01)00246-9
• ISSN: 0278-5846

A pilot study was conducted in schizophrenic patients with primary polydipsia to determine the tolerability of adding clonidine to an existing antipsychotic drug regimen and to seek evidence of an antidipsic effect. Three patients with chronic schizophrenia and primary polydipsia underwent open controlled prospective trials of treatment with clonidine in doses of up to 800 μg/day. The trials lasted from 2 to 5 months each, and analysis of variance was used to test for changes in dependent variables on a case-by-case basis. Blood pressure and pulse declined significantly in a dose-dependent manner, but fluid intake, as assessed by measurements of weight and 24-h urine volume, was not affected. Hypotension and bradycardia limited the extent to which the dose of clonidine could be increased. The lack of evident effect of clonidine on polydipsia in this small sample and the inconsistent results of two other recent studies of clonidine in patients with schizophrenia and primary polydipsia provide little overall support for the effectiveness of clonidine treatment in primary polydipsia associated with schizophrenia.