title: Serum levels of AgRP protein in patients with schizophrenia on clozapine monotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) is one of the hypothalamic hormones that works by increasing appetite and decreasing metabolism, thus leading to weight gain. The aim of the study was to find out if AgRP level in subjects with schizophrenia on clozapine monotherapy is higher compared with healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined fasting serum AgRP levels in 24 subjects with schizophrenia on clozapine monotherapy and 24 healthy, age- and sex-matched controls. Biochemical and anthropometric measurements were combined with body composition analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference for AgRP levels between patients taking clozapine and control group (15.00±8.65 vs. 15.33±6.82 pg/mL, p =0.37). We found negative correlations between AgRP levels and total body fat (r =-0.34 and -0.48 in the whole study group and clozapine group, respectively) and positive correlations with lean body mass (r =0.38 and 0.49 in the whole study group and clozapine group, respectively), body water (r =0.34 and 0.49 in the whole study group and clozapine group, respectively) and basal metabolic rate (r =0.42 both in the clozapine and control groups). There were no correlations with age, height, weight, body mass index, fat mass index, abdominal, waist or hip circumferences, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, uric acid, glucose, insulin, clozapine dose or treatment duration, duration of treatment with antipsychotics and markers for insulin resistance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We cannot conclude that treatment with clozapine is associated with increased level of AgRP. We did not find previously described differences in AgRP levels between obese and non-obese subjects or associations between AgRP and various metabolic parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Czechosłowacka 8/10, 92-216, Łódź, Poland, adam.wysokinski@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wysokiński
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaźmierski
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kłoszewska
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects; D000328:Adult; D054369:Agouti-Related Protein / Q000097:blood*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D001834:Body Water / Q000187:drug effects; D003024:Clozapine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: C515198:AGRP protein, human; D054369:Agouti-Related Protein; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003024:Clozapine