Risperidone associated weight, leptin, and anthropometric changes in children and adolescents with psychotic disorders in early treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To document prospective weight and anthropometric changes in children and adolescents during the first 12 weeks of treatment with risperidone and evaluate metabolic outcomes including plasma leptin levels.


METHODS
Eight patients with psychotic disorders (ages 11-17) who had started risperidone (mean: 1.80 mg/day; sd = 1.04) in the prior 4 weeks participated in this observational study. Fasting morning blood samples were obtained at baseline and week 8 to assess glucose, leptin, cortisol, insulin, and triglycerides. Measures of body mass index (BMI), weight, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure, and heart rate were obtained weekly.


RESULTS
Participants increased in mean weight (4.16 kg; sd = 4.36; p = 0.03) and BMI (1.47 kg/m(2); sd = 1.53; p = 0.03) with five out of eight gaining at least 7% of baseline body weight. They had a 4.03 cm (sd = 3.82; p = 0.02) increase in waist circumference and a 5.17 cm (sd = 3.68; p = 0.01) increase in hip circumference. Leptin trended higher, but did not reach statistical significance. There were no significant changes in glucose, insulin, cortisol, blood pressure, or heart rate.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjects experienced significant increases in weight, BMI, hip and waist circumference during the first 3 months of treatment. Better powered research with more advanced anthropometric assessment is warranted to further elucidate mechanisms of antipsychotic associated weight gain in youth.
Maayan
Lawrence A
LA
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, NY 10962, USA. LMaayan@nki.rfmh.org
Vakhrusheva
Julia
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000187:drug effects; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D020738:Leptin; D018967:Risperidone