Prevalence of the Metabolic Syndrome Among Patients Receiving Clozapine

• Published in: The American journal of psychiatry Vol. 163; no. 7; pp. 1273 - 1276
• Main Authors: Lamberti, J. Steven, Olson, David, Crilly, John F., Olivares, Telva, Williams, Geoffrey C., Tu, Xin, Tang, Wan, Wiener, Karen, Dvorin, Steven, Dietz, Marci B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychiatric Association 01.07.2006
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Ambulatory Care; Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Blood pressure; Body Mass Index; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Clinical medicine; Clozapine - adverse effects; Clozapine - therapeutic use; Diabetes; Drug therapy; Drugs; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Medical treatment; Metabolic diseases; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - chemically induced; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mortality; Neuropharmacology; Nutrition Surveys; Other metabolic disorders; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prevalence; Psycholeptics: tranquillizer, neuroleptic; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Psychotic Disorders - drug therapy; Psychotropic drugs; Risk Factors; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Studies; Endocrinopathy; Human; Atypical antipsychotic; Prevalence; Psychotropic; Neuroleptic; Cardiovascular disease; Metabolic diseases; Clozapine; Epidemiology; Chemotherapy; D2 Dopamine receptor; Treatment; X Syndrome; Antagonist; Public health
• ISSN: 0002-953X; 1535-7228
• DOI: 10.1176/ajp.2006.163.7.1273

Objective: This study compared the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among outpatients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder receiving clozapine with a matched comparison group from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Method: Ninety-three outpatients and a matched group of 2,701 comparison subjects were compared according to National Cholesterol Education Program criteria. Outpatient data were obtained through physical assessments, laboratory testing, and reviews of medical records. Results: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was significantly higher among clozapine patients (53.8%) than among the comparison group (20.7%). For clozapine patients, logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations with age, body mass index, and duration of clozapine treatment. Only age and body mass index were associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in both groups. Conclusions: Patients receiving clozapine are at significantly increased risk for developing the metabolic syndrome. Psychiatrists and other providers should consider performing regular physical health monitoring to prevent long-term adverse health consequences.