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Ronald Litvak, MD; Rudolf Kaelbling, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1971;24(3):265-267.

Abstract
The usefulness of a routine white blood cell count (WBC) in detecting a developing agranulocytosis is questionable. Routine WBCs may foster a false sense of security and lead a physician to discount other symptoms; on the other hand, not every WBC below 3,700/cu mm is cause for abandoning a helpful drug. We feel that the medical staff should be on the alert for evidence of infection in patients taking psychotropic drugs so that laboratory tests can be ordered if indicated by current symptoms or a history suggesting a high risk.

Author Affiliations
Columbus, Ohio

From the Department of Psychiatry, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Sept 14, 1970.

Reprint requests to Department of Psychiatry, Ohio State University College of Medicine, 410 W Tenth Ave, Columbus 43215 (Dr. Kaelbling).