Effects of risperidone on glucose metabolism in Chinese patients with schizophrenia: a prospective study.
BACKGROUND
While most of the second generation antipsychotic agents are associated with abnormal glucose metabolism, previous studies have shown that risperidone has relatively little effect upon blood glucose levels. This study aimed to explore the effect of risperidone on the glucose-regulating mechanism of patients with schizophrenia by using the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), measuring insulin and C-peptide levels.


METHODS
Thirty inpatients with schizophrenia taking risperidone were studied. All the patients were given a simplified OGTT at baseline and six weeks after treatment. Plasma glucose, insulin, and C-peptide concentrations were measured at fasting, then 1 and 2h after OGTT respectively. Other data, including demographic characteristics and plasma drug concentrations, were also recorded.


RESULTS
(1) There was no significant increase in the proportion of patients demonstrating abnormal plasma glucose levels compared with baseline (p=1.000, McNemar test); (2) risperidone was associated with elevated insulin concentrations (p=0.013), C-peptide levels (p=0.020), insulin/glucose ratio (p=0.020) and BMI (p<0.01); (3) no sex differences in glucose-related measures were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Risperidone treatment may be associated with alterations in glucose-regulating mechanisms in patients with schizophrenia.
Chen
Qi
Q
Department of General Psychiatry, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Cai
Zhuo-Ji
ZJ
Mao
Pei-Xian
PX
Zhai
Yi-Ming
YM
Mitchell
Philip B
PB
Tang
Yi-Lang
YL
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018967:Risperidone / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin; D018967:Risperidone