Treatment of weight gain with fluoxetine in olanzapine-treated schizophrenic outpatients.
Significant weight gain is a side effect associated with olanzapine treatment in some patients. We investigated the efficacy of high-dose fluoxetine as a weight-reducing agent for patients who develop early weight gain with olanzapine treatment. Patients that gained >/=3% of their baseline weight in the initial 8 weeks of olanzapine treatment (n=31) were randomized to double-blind treatment with placebo or fluoxetine (60 mg/day). Clinical, weight, and weight-related measures were assessed. Fluoxetine failed to demonstrate weight-reducing effects (fluoxetine group: baseline mean 80.5 kg, SD=19.1, last mean=83.5 kg, SD=19.8; placebo group: baseline mean=77.1 kg, SD=12.1, last mean=78.8 kg, SD=10.6; F=1.3; df=1, 18; p=0.3). There were no differential effects in psychopathology, extrapyramidal side effects or weight-related measures between the placebo and fluoxetine groups. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors are probably not a practical option to counteract weight gain induced by atypical antipsychotics. Atypical-induced weight gain may result from mechanisms other than 5HT reuptake blockade.
Bustillo
Juan R
JR
Department of Psychiatry, Research Division, 2400 Tucker NE, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. jbustillo@salud.unm.edu
Lauriello
John
J
Parker
Katherine
K
Hammond
Roger
R
Rowland
Laura
L
Bogenschutz
Michael
M
Keith
Samuel
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D005473:Fluoxetine; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D000077152:Olanzapine