Lipid Profile in Antipsychotic Drug Users: A Comparative Study



Roohafza H¹ ; Khani A² ; Garakyaraghi M³ ; Amirpour A¹ ; Afshar H⁴ ; Ghodsi B⁵ Show Affiliations
Source: ARYA Atherosclerosis Published:2013

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenic patients who receive antipsychotic drugs may be highly prone to metabolic disorders such as weight gain, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. The objective of the present study was to compare the effect of atypical and conventional antipsychotics on lipid profile. METHODS: 128 schizophrenic patients were enrolled into the study. 64 of these patients, who had received one type of atypical antipsychotic drug and had not received any other antipsychotic drug during the past year, were considered as atypical group. The other patients, who had received one type of conventional antipsychotic drug and had not used any other antipsychotic drug during the past year, were considered as conventional group. Demographic data and food frequency questionnaire were completed by the participants. Serum triglyceride, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterols, and apolipoprotein A and B (Apo B) were tested by blood sample drawing after 12 hours of fasting through the antecubital vein. Student's t-test was used to compare atypical and conventional groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age, gender, duration of illness, period of drug consumption, and age at onset of illness in the two groups. Patients in the atypical group used clozapine and risperidone (46.9%) more than olanzapine. In the conventional group 81.3% of patients used phenothiazines. Comparison between lipid profile in the conventional and atypical groups showed a significantly higher mean in TC (P = 0.01), LDL (P = 0.03), and Apo B (P = 0.01) in conventional group than the atypical group. CONCLUSION: In schizophrenic patients, the level of lipid profile had been increased in both atypical and conventional antipsychotic users, so the effect of antipsychotic drugs should be investigated periodically.