Abstract
Olanzapine is a tricyclic neuroleptic agent that due to structural similarities was
expected to be a safe alternative to clozapine, which has a 0.5-2 % risk of agranulocytosis.
So far, only rare cases of leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia have become known.
In the association „Drug Safety in Psychiatry”, which is made up of 25 German psychiatric
hospitals, two cases of olanzapine-induced neutropenia occurred in patients with chronic
schizophrenia. The adverse drug reaction was noticed 17 days after the first intake
of olanzapine in case 1 and more than 5 months after the first intake in case 2. In
the second case, a reexposure to olanzapine caused the neutrophil cells to decrease
again. There were no clinical signs of an infection, and the blood cell counts increased
immediately to normal ranges after discontinuation of olanzapine. No special treatment
was necessary.
