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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2013 Mar;127(3):217-26.
doi: 10.1111/acps.12009. Epub 2012 Sep 4.

Metabolic effects of adjunctive aripiprazole in clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia

X Fan  1 , C P C Borba, P Copeland, D Hayden, O Freudenreich, D C Goff, D C Henderson
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Metabolic effects of adjunctive aripiprazole in clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia

X Fan et al. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2013 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the effects of adjunctive aripiprazole therapy on metabolism in clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia.

Method: In an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, subjects received either aripiprazole (15 mg/day) or placebo. At baseline and week 8, metabolic parameters were assessed by the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Results: Thirty subjects completed the study (16 in the aripiprazole group and 14 in the placebo group). Glucose effectiveness measured by the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test improved significantly in the aripiprazole group (0.003 ± 0.006 vs. -0.005 ± 0.007/min, P = 0.010). The aripiprazole group showed significant reductions in both plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (-15.1 ± 19.8 vs. 4.4 ± 22.5 mg/dl, P = 0.019) and LDL particle numbers (-376 ± 632 vs. -36 ± 301 nm, P = 0.035). Further, there was a significant reduction in the lean mass (-1125 ± 1620 vs. 607 ± 1578 g, P = 0.011) measured by whole-body DXA scan in the aripiprazole group. All values were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, aripiprazole vs. placebo.

Conclusion: Adjunctive therapy with aripiprazole may have some metabolic benefits in clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interest

Dr. Fan has received research support or honoraria from Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myer-Squibb, Janssen, and Pfizer. Dr. Freudenreich has received research support or honoraria from AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myer-Squibb, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Cephalon and Pfizer. Dr. Goff has received research support or honoraria from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Indevus Pharmaceuticals, H. Lundbeck, Schering-Plough, Eli Lilly, Takeda, Biovail, Sovay, Hoffman-La Roche, Cypress, Dainippon Sumitomo, Abbott Laboratories, Genentech, Pfizer, Janssen, Novartis, PamLab, and GlaxoSmithKline and Endo Pharmaceuticals. He served on a DSMB for Otsuka. Dr. Henderson has received research support or honoraria from Takeda, Janssen, Solvay, Novartis, Covance, Alkermis, and Pfizer. Dr. Borba, Dr. Copeland and Mr. Hayden report no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patients who entered and completed the study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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