The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has updated its Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including with new information specifically addressed to individuals in the European Economic Area. As described in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences.

Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.

×
Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.154.12.1763

OBJECTIVE: Clozapine increases the levels of cytokines and soluble cytokine receptors. The authors investigated whether haloperidol has similar effects. METHOD: Rectal temperature, white blood cell counts, and plasma levels of cytokines and soluble cytokine receptors were assessed before and during 6 weeks of haloperidol treatment in 10 psychiatric patients. RESULTS: Haloperidol at mean doses of 7.0 mg/day (SD=3.4), 6.9 mg/day (SD=3.4), and 5.0 mg/day (SD=3.1) at the end of the 1st, 2nd, and 6th weeks of treatment, respectively, did not affect rectal temperature, white blood cell counts, or plasma level of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor—alpha (TNF-α), soluble TNF receptor p55 or p75, or soluble interleukin-2 receptor. CONCLUSIONS: Haloperidol is unlikely to confound the results of studies investigating disease-related alterations in the levels of a broad range of cytokines and soluble cytokine receptors in schizophrenia. (Am J Psychiatry 1997; 154:1763–1765)