Clozapine use in schizophrenia: findings of the Research on Asia Psychotropic Prescription (REAP) studies from 2001 to 2009 Yu-Tao Xiang, Chuan-Yue Wang, Tian-Mei Si, Edwin H.M. Lee, Yan-Ling He, Gabor S. Ungvari, Helen F.K. Chiu, Naotaka Shinfuku, Shu-Yu Yang, Mian-Yoon Chong, Ee-Heok Kua, Senta Fujii, Kang Sim, Michael K.H. Yong, Jitendra K. Trivedi, Eun-Kee Chung, Pichet Udomratn, Kok-Yoon Chee, Norman Sartorius, Lisa B. Dixon, Julie A. Kreyenbuhl & Chay-Hoon Tan Objective: Optimizing treatment and outcomes for people with schizophrenia requires understanding of how evidence-based treatments are utilized. Clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic drug for treatment-refractory schizophrenia, but few studies have investigated trends and patterns of its use over time internationally. This study examined the prescription patterns of clozapine and its demographic and clinical correlates in Asia from 2001 to 2009. Method: Clozapine prescriptions were collected in a sample of 6761 hospitalized schizo- phrenia patients in nine Asian countries and regions using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure.  2011 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Yu-Tao Xiang, Research Assistant Professor (Correspondence); Edwin H.M. Lee, Assistant Professor; Helen F.K. Chiu, Professor Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ground Floor, Multicentre, Tai Po Hospital, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. Email: xyutly@gmail.com Yu-Tao Xiang, Associate Professor; Chuan-Yue Wang, Professor Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China Tian-Mei Si, Professor Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China Yan-Ling He, Psychiatrist-in-Chief Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China Gabor S. Ungvari, Professor University of Notre Dame Australia/Marian Centre, Perth, Western Australia, Australia Naotaka Shinfuku, Professor School of Human Sciences, Seinan Gakuin University, Fukuoka, Japan Shu-Yu Yang, Director 1 , Assistant Professor 2 1 Clinical Pharmacy Section, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 2 Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Mian-Yoon Chong, Professor Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University School of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Chay-Hoon Tan, Associate Professor; Ee-Heok Kua, Professor National University of Singapore, Singapore Senta Fujii, Consultant Psychiatrist Hyogo Institute for Traumatic Stress (HITS), Kobe, Japan Kang Sim, Associate Professor; Michael K.H. Yong, Registrar Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok View, Singapore Jitendra K. Trivedi, Professor Department of Psychiatry, C.S.M. Medical University UP (formerly K.G. Medical University), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India Eun-Kee Chung, Director National Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea Pichet Udomratn, Professor Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand Kok-Yoon Chee, Consultant Psychiatrist Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Tunku Abdul Rahman Institute of Neuroscience, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Norman Sartorius, Professor Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programs, Geneva, Switzerland Lisa B. Dixon, Professor 1 , Acting Director 2 ; Julie A. Kreyenbuh l , Associate Professor 1 , Health Science Specialist 2 1 Division of Services Research, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA; 2 Veterans Administration Capitol Healthcare Network (VISN 5) Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Baltimore, Maryland, USA Aust NZ J Psychiatry Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Chinese University of Hong Kong on 01/03/12 For personal use only.