M. Brecher et al., The long-term effect of quetiapine (Seroquel (TM)) monotherapy on weight in patients with schizophrenia, INT J PSYC, 4(4), 2000, pp. 287-291
Citations number
23
Categorie Soggetti
Clinical Psycology & Psychiatry
Journal title
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE
INTRODUCTION: Quetiapine (Seroquel(TM)) is an atypical antipsychotic drug w
ith demonstrated efficacy and tolerability. In particular, placebo-level ex
trapyramidal symptoms (EPS) across the entire dose range and a low propensi
ty to cause sexual dysfunction suggest it,nay be associated with greater pa
tient acceptability than alternative treatments,. However,er, other side-ef
fects, such as weight gain, may also have a significant impact on treatment
acceptability.
METHOD: We report the long-term weight changes observed in a cohort of 427
patients with schizophrenia from controlled and open-label extension (OLE)
trials, in which quetiapine (mean dose 475 mg/day after 1 year) was the onl
y antipsychotic medication during the OLE period.
RESULTS: In these patients, there was no overall effect on weight across th
e body mass index (BMI) spectrum. There were no nose-related effects on wei
ght, and only one patient withdrew front treatment due to an adverse event
of weight gain. Quetiapine appeared to have a weight-neutral or 'normalizin
g' effect, with a tendency towards favourable shifts in bodyweight in under
weight patients (BMI<18.5 kg/m(2)) and severely obese patients (BMI<greater
than or equal to>35 kg/m(2)).
CONCLUSION: These results indicate that long-term weight changes with queti
apine monotherapy are minimal and potentially beneficial, and do not appear
to raise the medical concerns associated with some other atypical agents.