The British Journal of Psychiatry 148: 187-193 (1986)
© 1986 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Radio receptor assay of serum neuroleptic levels in psychiatric patients
J Krska, G Sampath, A Shah and SD Soni
The radioreceptor assay for the measurement of neuroleptic drugs in serum
has been used to study the relationship between dose and serum level in
schizophrenic patients receiving these drugs. The assay was found to be
reproducible and capable of detecting neuroleptics in the sera of patients
receiving a range of both oral and depot drugs, with the exception of
trifluoperazine spansules. Linear correlations were obtained between daily
dose and serum level for each drug both in individual patients on different
doses and between patients on a stable dose. Extrapyramidal side effects
were related to the serum neuroleptic level within, but not between,
patients. The assay may be of use in clinical practice, including the
assessment of compliance or poor response to neuroleptics.