Tardive dyskinesia and glucid metabolism

A role of insulin-dependent diabetes in the onset of tardive dyskinesia has been reported and relies on weak physiopathological evidence.

To study the relationship between the occurrence of tardive dyskinesia and variations in glucose levels in a population of patients under typical antipsychotic treatment.

Sixty-nine patients with a schizophrenic disorder and who had been receiving continuous neuroleptic treatment for at least 2 years were included. Tardive dyskinesias were assessed by the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale (AIMS) and glucose levels by glucose oxidase method.

No significant differences in values of fasting glucose (FG) levels, post-prandial glucose (PPG) levels and glycosylated haemoglobin between the groups with and without tardive dyskinesia were found. In the sub-group with normal FG, comparison of post-prandial delta glucose levels (difference between PPG and FG) between the two group with and without tardive dyskinesia showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). This comparison also showed a correlation between post-prandial delta glucose levels and the AIMS score in the group with tardive dyskinesia (r = 0.482, p < 0.05).

Glucose metabolism could be involved in patients with tardive dyskinesia. Various factors outside antipsychotic treatment can favour a disturbance of glucose metabolism, which may not be severe.