The lipid profiles in Japanese patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotic agents

Antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia patients are susceptible to dyslipidemia. However, the results of previous studies of North American and UK populations including various races have been contradictory with regard to which lipid measure was the most affected in patients with schizophrenia taking antipsychotic agents. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of schizophrenia patients receiving antipsychotic agents on each lipid measure in a Japanese population.

The samples included 136 control individuals and 157 patients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotic agents. Age, gender distribution and body mass index (BMI) of the controls were matched with the patients.

The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) levels were significantly lower in patients than in the control subjects (P<.001). However, there were no significant differences in either the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) or triglyceride levels between the patient and control groups. We performed a multiple linear regression analysis, and schizophrenia receiving antipsychotics was an independent predictor of decreased HDL-cholesterol. An increased BMI, male gender and cigarette smoking were also major predictors of a decreased HDL-cholesterol level (r(2)=0.42, P<.001).

At least in Japanese with schizophrenia receiving antipsychotic agents, the HDL-cholesterol levels should be closely monitored in all patients, even those who are not obese or do not smoke, to decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease.