title: The effect of long-term antipsychotic treatment on the body weight of patients suffering from chronic schizophrenia: clozapine versus classical antipsychotic agents.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term clozapine treatment on body weight changes in neuroleptic-resistant chronic schizophrenic patients and to compare it with that of classical antipsychotic agents. The body mass index (BMI) of 96 neuroleptic-resistant chronic schizophrenic patients was calculated before the beginning and after long-term (mean +/- SD 1.7 +/- 1.3 years) clozapine treatment. These data were compared to the BMI of 98 chronic schizophrenic patients maintained on classical antipsychotic agents for a similar duration (mean +/- SD 1.9 +/- 1.6 years). A significant elevation in BMI was detected in both groups during these periods (P < 0.0001 versus baseline, for both groups). The change in BMI (delta BMI) was similar in both groups (P < 0.9). We conclude that the increase in body weight caused by long-term (> 6 months) clozapine treatment is comparable to that obtained following long-term classical antipsychotic agents treatment.
authors.affiliation: Ness-Ziona Mental Health Center, Israel.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spivak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Musin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mester
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gonen
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Talmon
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roitman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kupchik
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weizman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003024:Clozapine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003024:Clozapine