Decreased concentration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol in schizophrenic patients treated with phenothiazines

In chronic schizophrenic patients treated with phenothiazines (Chlorpromazine, Levomepromazine, Perphenazine) for long periods (average = 8 years), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly lower (P less than 0.001) compared with normal controls. The HDL subfractions showed that HDL3-C was significantly low (P less than 0.005) whereas HDL2-C was not. Both serum apo A-I and apo A-II levels were also low (P less than 0.005 and P less than 0.001, respectively) in schizophrenics treated with phenothiazines. The serum triglycerides (TG) level was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in patients treated with phenothiazines than in controls. No significant differences in total cholesterol (TC), TG and HDL-C were found between users and nonusers of benzodiazepine in schizophrenic patients receiving phenothiazines. In addition to chronic schizophrenic patients, 8 new patients with schizophrenia and related diseases were studied. The serum HDL-C level decreased by 24% within 1 week following administration of phenothiazines. No significant differences were found in TC and TG levels for 10 weeks after initiation of phenothiazine administration.