Antipsychotic-induced weight gain: a comprehensive research synthesis

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to estimate and compare the effects of antipsychotics-both the newer ones and the conventional ones-on body weight.

METHOD

A comprehensive literature search identified 81 English- and non-English-language articles that included data on weight change in antipsychotic-treated patients. For each agent, a meta-analysis and random effects metaregression estimated the weight change after 10 weeks of treatment at a standard dose. A comprehensive narrative review was also conducted on all articles that did not yield quantitative information but did yield important qualitative information.

RESULTS

Placebo was associated with a mean weight reduction of 0.74 kg. Among conventional agents, mean weight change ranged from a reduction of 0.39 kg with molindone to an increase of 3.19 kg with thioridazine. Among newer antipsychotic agents, mean increases were as follows: clozapine, 4.45 kg; olanzapine, 4.15 kg; sertindole, 2.92 kg; risperidone, 2.10 kg; and ziprasidone, 0.04 kg. Insufficient data were available to evaluate quetiapine at 10 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

Both conventional and newer antipsychotics are associated with weight gain. Among the newer agents, clozapine appears to have the greatest potential to induce weight gain, and ziprasidone the least. The differences among newer agents may affect compliance with medication and health risk.

Neuroleptic-induced seizures. An in vitro technique for assessing relative risk

To estimate the relative risk of various neuroleptic medications for patients with epilepsy or likely to have neuroleptic-induced seizures, their action on spike activity in perfused guinea pig hippocampal slices was studied. Within the range of concentrations studied, molindone hydrochloride, butaclamol hydrochloride, pimozide, and fluphenazine dihydrochloride produced the least increase in excitability. There were also differences in the dose-response curves. Chlorpromazine, thioridazine, and pimozide produced an inverted U-shaped curve. For haloperidol and fluphenazine, excitability tended to increase and them plateau. Molindone and butaclamol produced no increase in excitability. Combinations of neuroleptics had synergistic effects, while the anticonvulsant diazepam inhibited neuroleptic-induced excitability. This article discusses the clinical implications of these findings and their effect on theories of which neuroleptics might produce the fewest seizures.

Recent developments in the drug treatment of schizophrenia

The author reviews six topics relevant to the drug treatment of schizophrenia. The quantitative effectiveness of promazine is of interest with respect to the structural models of the phenothiazines and the dopamine theory of schizophrenia. The quantitative effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs is also important in evaluating new agents and therefore relevant to a discussion of two newly released neuroleptics, molindone and loxapine. The author's discussion of high-dose treatment of typical acute schizophrenics or treatment-resistant patients reviews the available data and calls attention to the fact that these areas of pharmacologic research have not received sufficient attention.

Atypical antipsychotics for psychosis in adolescents

BACKGROUND

Schizophrenia often presents in adolescence, but current treatment guidelines are based largely on studies of adults with psychosis. Over the past decade, the number of studies on treatment of adolescent-onset psychosis has increased. The current systematic review collates and critiques evidence obtained on the use of various atypical antipsychotic medications for adolescents with psychosis.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effects of atypical antipsychotic medications in adolescents with psychosis. We reviewed in separate analyses various comparisons of atypical antipsychotic medications with placebo or a typical antipsychotic medication or another atypical antipsychotic medication or the same atypical antipsychotic medication but at a lower dose.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Register (October 2011), which is based on regular searches of BIOSIS, CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsycINFO. We inspected references of all identified studies and contacted study authors and relevant pharmaceutical companies to ask for more information.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included all relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared atypical antipsychotic medication with placebo or another pharmacological intervention or with psychosocial interventions, standard psychiatric treatment or no intervention in children and young people aged 13 to 18 years with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, acute and transient psychoses or unspecified psychosis. We included studies published in English and in other languages that were available in standardised databases.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Review authors AK and SSD selected the studies, rated the quality of the studies and performed data extraction. For dichotomous data, we estimated risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a fixed-effect model. When possible, for binary data presented in the 'Summary of findings' table, we calculated illustrative comparative risks. We summated continuous data using the mean difference (MD). Risk of bias was assessed for included studies.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 13 RCTs, with a total of 1112 participants. We found no data on service utilisation, economic outcomes, behaviour or cognitive response. Trials were classified into the following groups. 1. Atypical antipsychotics versus placebo: Only two studies compared one atypical antipsychotic medication with placebo. In one study, the number of non-responders treated with olanzapine was not different from the number treated with placebo (1 RCT, n = 107, RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.10); however, significantly more (57% vs 32%) people left the study early (1 RCT, n = 107, RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.87) from the placebo group compared with the olanzapine group. With regard to adverse effects, young people treated with aripiprazole had significantly lower serum cholesterol compared with those given placebo (1 RCT, n = 302, RR 3.77, 95% CI 1.88 to 7.58). 2. Atypical antipsychotics versus typical antipsychotics: When the findings of all five trials comparing atypical antipsychotic medications with a typical antipsychotic medication were collated, no difference in the mean end point Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) score was noted between the two arms (5 RCTs, n = 236, MD -1.08, 95% CI -3.08 to 0.93). With regard to adverse effects, the mean end point serum prolactin concentration was much higher than the reference range for treatment with risperidone, olanzapine and molindone in one of the studies. However, fewer adolescents who were receiving atypical antipsychotic medications left the study because of adverse effects (3 RCTs, n = 187, RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.15) or for any reason (3 RCTs, n = 187, RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.97).3. One atypical antipsychotic versus another atypical antipsychotic: The mean end point BPRS score was not significantly different for people who received risperidone compared with those who received olanzapine; however, the above data were highly skewed. Overall no difference was noted in the number of people leaving the studies early because of any adverse effects between each study arm in the three studies comparing olanzapine and risperidone (3 RCTs, n = 130, RR 1.15, 95% CI 0.44 to 3.04). Specific adverse events were not reported uniformly across the six different studies included in this section of the review; therefore it was difficult to do a head-to-head comparison of adverse events for different atypical antipsychotic medications.4. Lower-dose atypical antipsychotic versus standard/higher-dose atypical antipsychotic: Three studies reported comparisons of lower doses of the atypical antipsychotic medication with standard/higher doses of the same medication. One study reported better symptom reduction with a standard dose of risperidone as compared with a low dose (1 RCT, n = 257, RR -8.00, 95% CI -13.75 to -2.25). In another study, no difference was reported in the number of participants not achieving remission between the group receiving 10 mg/d and those who received 30 mg/d of aripiprazole (1 RCT, n = 196, RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.48). Similarly in the other study, authors reported no statistically significant difference in clinical response between the two groups receiving lower-dose (80 mg/d) and higher-dose (160 mg/d) ziprasidone, as reflected by the mean end point BPRS score (1 RCT, n = 17, MD -4.40, 95% CI -19.20 to 10.40).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

No convincing evidence suggests that atypical antipsychotic medications are superior to typical medications for the treatment of adolescents with psychosis. However, atypical antipsychotic medications may be more acceptable to young people because fewer symptomatic adverse effects are seen in the short term. Little evidence is available to support the superiority of one atypical antipsychotic medication over another, but side effect profiles are different for different medications. Treatment with olanzapine, risperidone and clozapine is often associated with weight gain. Aripiprazole is not associated with increased prolactin or with dyslipidaemia. Adolescents may respond better to standard-dose as opposed to lower-dose risperidone, but for aripiprazole and ziprasidone, lower doses may be equally effective. Future trials should ensure uniform ways of reporting.

Double-blind maintenance safety and effectiveness findings from the Treatment of Early-Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum (TEOSS) study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the long-term safety and efficacy of three antipsychotics in early-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

METHOD

Patients (8 to 19 years old) who had improved during an 8-week, randomized, double-blind acute trial of olanzapine, risperidone, or molindone (plus benztropine) were eligible to continue on the same medication for up to 44 additional weeks under double-blind conditions. Adjunctive medications were allowed according to defined algorithms. Standardized symptom, safety, and functional assessments were conducted every 4 weeks.

RESULTS

Of the 116 youths randomized in the acute trial, 54 entered maintenance treatment (molindone, n = 20; olanzapine, n = 13; risperidone, n = 21). Fourteen (26%) completed 44 weeks of treatment. Adverse effects (n = 15), inadequate efficacy (n = 14), or study nonadherence (n = 8) were the most common reasons for discontinuation. The three treatment arms did not significantly differ in symptom decrease or time to discontinuation. Akathisia was more common with molindone and elevated prolactin concentrations more common with risperidone. Although weight gain and metabolic adverse events had occurred more often with olanzapine and risperidone during the acute trial, no significant between-drug differences emerged in most of these parameters during maintenance treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Only 12% of youths with early-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders continued on their originally randomized treatment at 52 weeks. No agent demonstrated superior efficacy, and all were associated with side effects, including weight gain. Improved treatments are needed for early-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Clinical trial registry information-Treatment of Schizophrenia and Related Disorders in Children and Adolescents; URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, unique identifier: NCT00053703.

Weight reduction in schizophrenics by molindone

The weight-reducing property of molindone, a recently introduced antipsychotic drug, was tested in 9 hospitalized chronic schizophrenic patients. There was an average weight loss of 7.6 kg after 3 months on molindone; most of the loss occurred during the first month. The mechanism producing this weight loss is uncertain, but a central anorexigenic effect may be an important factor.

Neuroleptic-induced "painful legs and moving toes" syndrome: successful treatment with clonazepam and baclofen

The syndrome of "painful legs and moving toes" is characterised by spontaneous causalgic pain in the lower extremities associated with peculiar involuntary movements of the toes and feet. It has been observed after a variety of lesions affecting the posterior nerve roots, the spinal ganglia and the peripheral nerves. The pathophysiology of the syndrome is unknown. I report a patient who developed the syndrome during treatment for schizophrenia with the antipsychotic agent molindone hydrochloride. The patient's response to the combination of clonazepam and baclofen suggests that the pathophysiology of the "painful legs and moving toes" may be linked to impairment of spinal serotonergic and GABA functions.

A comparison of masking effects of haloperidol versus molindone in tardive dyskinesia

An experimental method was utilized to compare the masking effects of two neuroleptic agents--molindone and haloperidol--on 18 neuroleptic-treated schizophrenic patients exhibiting operationally defined withdrawal-exacerbated tardive dyskinesia. After a week on one of these two medications at preestablished doses equivalent to that of the pre-study neuroleptic, molindone-masked total AIMS scores by significantly less (12%) than haloperidol (27%). Similarly, during a second week when the dose of these neuroleptics was equivalent to 200% that of the pre-study dose, molindone masked the total AIMS score significantly less (23%) as compared to haloperidol (53%). Several interpretations of this finding are considered. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a method that may offer a model for understanding pharmacological differences among neuroleptic medications.

Treatment of clozapine- and molindone-induced agranulocytosis with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor

OBJECTIVE

To report a case of clozapine- and molindone-induced agranulocytosis and to discuss treatment using filgrastim, a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

CASE SUMMARY

A 64-year-old woman who had been on long-term clozapine therapy for schizophrenia was hospitalized with presumed drug-induced agranulocytosis. She had also been on short-term molindone therapy. A bone marrow biopsy and the initial white blood cell (WBC) count were consistent with drug-induced agranulocytosis. Following seven days of treatment with subcutaneous filgrastim 300 micrograms/d, her absolute neutrophil count was above 500 x 10(6)/L.

DISCUSSION

Reports in the literature discussing antipsychotic drug-induced agranulocytosis are reviewed. A relationship between treatment with filgrastim and WBC response is postulated.

CONCLUSIONS

Filgrastim may be useful in ameliorating the effects of clozapine- and molindone-induced agranulocytosis.

Polydipsia and hyponatremia induced by multiple neuroleptics but not molindone

A 37 year old patient with chronic schizophrenia developed polydipsia and hyponatremia induced by several neuroleptics. We treated the patient successfully with molindone. The etiology of polydipsia with hyponatremia is discussed.

Basal ganglia iron in tardive dyskinesia: an MRI study

Alterations in brain iron could play an important role in the development of tardive dyskinesia in patients receiving neuroleptic medication. To test this hypothesis, magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain were performed on 21 chronic schizophrenic patients. Ten patients met research diagnostic criteria for persistent tardive dyskinesia, and 11 were free of tardive dyskinesia. All patients had received long-term neuroleptic treatment and were on a stable neuroleptic dose for at least 3 months before scanning. The signal intensity of basal ganglia structures was obtained as a quantitative estimate of brain iron content. No difference was found in the signal intensity ratios between the two groups. This suggests that iron deposition in the basal ganglia, at least as assessed by this measure, does not play a role in the pathophysiology of tardive dyskinesia.

Effect of molindone on weight change in hospitalized schizophrenic patients

A retrospective review was conducted to assess the effect of molindone on weight. Monthly weights and neuroleptic dosages during the first three months of psychiatric hospitalization were compared between matched groups of patients receiving molindone, a combination of molindone and other neuroleptics, or other neuroleptic drugs. We found no significant differences in weight gain among the three groups. Our results challenge the common opinion that molindone can be associated with a lack of weight gain compared to other antipsychotics.

Molindone and hepatotoxicity

An adolescent male with chronic schizophrenic disorder, paranoid type, was treated with molindone. He developed hepatotoxicity in the early treatment phase as evidenced by flu-like symptoms and laboratory abnormalities of liver functions. These symptoms and his hepatic functions improved on discontinuing molindone. Similar liver function trends were seen on reintroduction and subsequent withdrawal of the drug. Hepatic hypersensitivity has not been reported previously with the use of this drug. It is suggested that clinicians should be aware of this association and should assess hepatic functions in patients who develop a prodromal flu-like syndrome with this drug, especially in the early treatment phase.

Molindone hydrochloride treatment of hospitalized children with conduct disorder

Treatment-emergent symptoms and behavioral changes were assessed during an 8-week double-blind study comparing molindone and thioridazine in 31 aggressive hospitalized children (ages 6-11). Molindone was found to be as effective as thioridazine in this sample. Adverse effects differed (nonsignificantly) for the two groups, with more sedation in the thioridazine-treated children. Clinical records from 6 adolescent inpatients treated with molindone were reviewed as a comparison group. Molindone is a relatively safe neuroleptic for child and adolescent inpatients because of its short half-life and minimal prolonged tissue accumulation. Additional studies on different child populations are necessary before the proper indications for molindone usage in the pediatric group can be established.

Expected incidence of tardive dyskinesia associated with atypical antipsychotics

Given the problematic nature of tardive dyskinesia in persons taking conventional antipsychotics, evaluation of newer atypical antipsychotic agents should include a systematic assessment of tardive dyskinesia liability. Results of a prospective double-blind, randomized study of schizophrenic patients who participated in 3 preclinical olanzapine studies and were treated with 5 to 20 mg/day of olanzapine (N = 1192) or haloperidol (N = 522) recently indicated a significantly lower risk of development of tardive dyskinesia with olanzapine treatment than haloperidol treatment. This article discusses the known effects of atypical antipsychotic medications on tardive dyskinesia movements (both withdrawal and persistent) and the incidence rate of tardive dyskinesia among schizophrenic patients undergoing long-term treatment with olanzapine or haloperidol.

Review of clinical and laboratory experiences with molindone hydrochloride

The literature concerning the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, receptor physiology, and clinical use of molindone is reviewed. Unanswered questions about the drug are addressed. Although molindone is reputed to have a short half-life (1.5 hours), clinical observations report a prolonged effect from a once-daily dose. Early in treatment, some patients show intolerance due to akathisia or extrapyramidal symptoms. This may be withdrawal dyskinesia due to discontinuation of another drug or an early adverse effect of molindone. Different effects on dopamine receptors have been described, but the significance of these properties for the development of tardive dyskinesia remains unclear.