The impact of clozapine treatment on serum lipids in chronic schizophrenicpatients

The aim of this retrospective study is to determine whether lipid levels ri se in neuroleptic-resistant chronic schizophrenic patients during clozapine treatment and if this rise is correlated with a decrease in aggressive and suicidal behavior. Seventy neuroleptic-resistant schizophrenic patients tr eated with clozapine for at least 6 months were compared with 30 chronic sc hizophrenic patients treated with classic antipsychotic agents for the same length of time. Data on serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and on aggressive and suicidal behavior, as measured by the Overt Aggression Sc ale (OAS), were collected in both groups before treatment and 6 months late r. A significant reduction in aggressive and suicidal behavior was noted in the clozapine-treated group but not in the classical antipsychotic-treated group. Clozapine treatment was associated with an elevation in serum trigl yceride level, whereas Classic antipsychotic treatment was associated with an increase in serum cholesterol level. We conclude that serum cholesterol level does not play a role in the clozapine-induced attenuation in aggressi ve and suicidal behavior in neuroleptic-resistant schizophrenic patients, t hough the accompanying elevation in triglycerides may be relevant to a beha vioral effect.