Successful treatment of urinary incontinence with clozapine in a schizophrenic patient

Abstract

There is evidence that urinary incontinence (UI) can develop without any organic aetiology as a direct side effect of typical antipsychotic medication. Clozapine was administered to a chronic schizophrenic patient with UI who was refractory to typical antipsychotic medication. After various laboratory and functional tests, UI was demonstrated to be unrelated to any organic aetiology. UI was monitored throughout the study as frequency (wetting the bed) per day and night. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) was also rated. Clozapine (dose-dependently) reduced both the BPRS score and frequency of UI, which were refractory to trifluoperazine and sulpiride. This is the first report of a dramatic resolution of UI in a schizophrenic patient after clozapine treatment. It is suggested that preference should be given to clozapine in such cases, since various other antipsychotic medications were ineffective and in some cases worsened the existing UI.