Abstract
Aim: The purpose of the present study was to asses the relationship between initial clinical improvement during treatment of schizophrenic exacerbation and metabolic effects of antipsychotic drugs.
Methods: 77 patients (30 females, 47 males) aged 18-70 (mean 38) years were studied. They all met the ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia, were hospitalized for exacerbation of the illness in psychiatric hospital in Gniezno. Psychometric evaluation of patients performed with PANSS scale, blood pressure, waist circumference, body weight, fasting blood glucose level and lipid profi le were measured at the admission and after 4 weeks of treatment. Patients were treated with both typical and atypical neuroleptics.
Results: After 4 weeks of treatment 47 patients experienced clinical improvement (at least 20% reduction in PANSS scale). A statistical trend was revealed to higher value of body weight in those patients who responded to treatment (78 vs 71 kg). Participants who gained on weight experienced statistically signifi cant reduction in positive subscales of PANSS scale in comparison to patients who lost their weight. Statistically signifi cant correlation was found between reduction in PANSS scores and increase in body weight among patients treated with olanzapine and risperidone.
Statistically signifi cant correlation was also revealed between reduction in PANSS scores and increase in fasting glucose level and total cholesterol level in individuals treated successfully with olanzapine.
Conclusions: The initial clinical improvement during treatment of exacerbation of schizophrenia has been associated with metabolic changes, refl ected in gaining weight, as well as an increase in glucose and total cholesterol levels. Such changes have been especially evident in olanzapine-treated patients.