Improvement of metabolic risk profile under second-generation antipsychotics: a pilot intervention study

To assess the impact of a weight management program on metabolic health of second-generation antipsychotic (SGA)-treated patients.

A prospective 12-week intervention program including individual exercise training and nutritional group sessions was performed as a pilot study. An intervention group of 6 SGA-treated patients (5 men and 1 woman; mean 15.0, SD 11.8 months) was compared with 10 reference patients under SGAs (8 men and 2 women; mean 14.0, SD 14.2 months), presenting similar age and baseline weekly levels of physical activity. For patients of both groups, anthropometric measurements and basic fasting lipid profile were assessed. For patients in the intervention group, an adapted Rockport Test was performed to evaluate their aerobic fitness and compliance to training sessions, and was recorded.

After the 12-week period, reference patients significantly gained weight (P = 0.001), whereas intervention patients showed significant weight loss and decreased body mass index (P = 0.02); interaction between groups: P < 0.01. This weight loss was accompanied by a decreased cholesterol-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (P = 0.04). Overall, the intervention patients' adherence to exercise prescription was 95.1 %, and this adherence induced a significant improvement of their aerobic fitness (P = 0.05).

This pilot study suggests that patients under SGAs may benefit from a weight management program and improve their metabolic health, as well as their aerobic fitness.