Lipid profile in schizophrenic patients on atypical antipsychotics

Abstract

Background: Atypical antipsychotics are the drugs of first line treatment in schizophrenia because compared to typical antipsychotics, they have minimum extrapyramidal side effects and hence better tolerance by the patients resulting in better compliance. However there are adverse effects on lipid and glucose metabolism, weight gain and predisposition to metabolic syndrome. We conducted this study to see the effect of atypical antipsychotics on lipid profile.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted at Medical and Psychiatry Units, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, from January 2009 to June 2009. Forty consecutive adult patients diagnosed as schizophrenia on the basis of ICD-10 diagnostic criteria, were selected and grouped age-wise as Group I (15-30 years) and Group II (31-45 years). Subjects were grouped as group P (20 schizophrenic patients on atypical antipsychotics) and Group C (20 age and sex matched normal controls). Serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured. Serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol was calculated with Fried Wald equation and results analysed by using Student’s ‘t’ test.

Results: Age range of patients was 15-45 years. Significant decrease in serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein was found in age group 15-30 years while non-significant increase was observed in serum total cholesterol and triglycerides in age group 31-45 years.

Conclusion: We conclude that atypical antipsychotics do not cause any significant derangement in lipid profile and their use should not be discouraged because of risk of metabolic syndrome.