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Association of olanzapine-induced weight gain with an increase in body fat
U Eder1, B Mangweth, C Ebenbichler
1Department of Biological Psychiatry, Innsbruck University Clinics, Innsbruck, Austria. birgit.mader@uibk.ac.at
Objective:
The goal of this study was to explore the pathophysiology of weight gain during treatment with olanzapine for schizophrenia.
Method:
The authors used a prospective, controlled, open study comparing body weight, body mass index, and related biological measures in mentally and physically healthy volunteers and olanzapine-treated patients with schizophrenia. Weight, eating behavior, leptin serum levels, body mass index, and body composition were assessed over an 8-week observation period.
Results:
A significant increase in body weight, leptin serum levels, and percentage of body fat was seen in patients treated with olanzapine, but the drug-free comparison group did not show any significant changes. The weight gain during antipsychotic treatment with olanzapine was mainly attributable to an increase in body fat; patients' lean body mass did not change.
Conclusions:
In addition to the original finding that an increase in body fat is mainly responsible for olanzapine-induced weight gain, these findings confirm results obtained in other studies showing increases in body weight and serum leptin levels during treatment with second-generation antipsychotics.