No effect of atypical antipsychotic drugs on weight gain and risk of developing type II diabetes or lipid abnormalities among nursing home elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE
Weight gain and the risk of developing alterations in lipid and glucose metabolism are possible side effects of atypical antipsychotic therapy in young and adult patients. The objective of this study was to examine whether elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) gain weight or develop disturbances in lipid and glucose metabolism while being treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs.


METHODS
This retrospective study identified 36 out of 99 patients (mean age: 75.4+/-7.1, 27 female, 9 males) who were taking risperidone (N=9, mean dosage: 1.42+/-0.49 mg/day), olanzapine (N=17: 4.42+/-1.10 mg/day), and quetiapine (N=10: 75+/-27 mg/day) over a 12 months period. Anthropometric parameters, mini nutritional assessment (MNA), total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glycaemia were assessed at baseline (T0) and 12 (T1) months.


RESULTS
Body weight (BMI=23+/-5 vs 23+/-5), MNA score (21+/-4 vs 21+/-4), blood glucose (5.7+/-2 vs 4.9+/-0.9 mmol/L) or total cholesterol (4.9+/-1.1 vs 4.3+/-0.7 mmol/L), HDL cholesterol (1.3+/-0.3 vs 1.1+/-0.3 mmol/L), LDL cholesterol (3.3+/-0.7 vs 3 +/- 0.4 mmol/L), triglycerides (1.1+/-0 vs 1+/-0.3 mmol/L) did not reveal treatment-induced changes in the patients evaluated (T0 vs T1).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the treatment with low-dose of atypical antipsychotic drugs is not associated with weight gain or increase the risk of developing type II diabetes or abnormalities of lipid metabolism among elderly patients with AD, who were residing in long-term nursing home.
Rondanelli
M
M
Azienda Servizi alla Persona, Istituzioni Assistenziali Riunite (IIAARR), Santa Margherita Institute, Via Emilia 32, 27100 Pavia, Italy. serv.nutrizione@asppavia.it
Sarra
S
S
Antoniello
N
N
Mansi
V
V
Govoni
S
S
Falvo
F
F
Solerte
S B
SB
Ferrari
E
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D009735:Nursing Homes; D000077152:Olanzapine; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects; D015430:Weight Gain
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D008055:Lipids; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine