Blood disorders

How are blood disorders relevant to schizophrenia? 

People with schizophrenia may show increased rates of co-occurring conditions. These can include disorders of the blood, such as leukocytosis (excess leukocytes), hypokalemia (reduced potassium), and neutropenia (low neutrophil levels).

What is the evidence for comorbid blood disorders?

Moderate quality evidence suggests the incidence of mild neutropenia in people taking the antipsychotic clozapine is around 3.8%, and the incidence of severe neutropenia is around 0.9%. Death from neutropenia is rare at around 0.013%.

Moderate to low quality evidence is unclear as to the rates of other blood disorders in people with schizophrenia.

June 2020

Last updated at: 1:40 am, 18th June 2020
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