Effect of Antipsychotic Drugs on Body Composition in Patients Attending Psychiatry Clinic, Jimma, Ethiopia

Abstract

Despite their irrevocability in the therapeutics of mental illness, an antipsychotic drug has many side effects including change in the body composition. More specifically, atypical antipsychotics, such as, Olanazapin, were often associated with increased weight gain compared to conventional antipsychotics, risking patients to metabolic syndrome. Generally, there is lack of study concerning effects of antipsychotic drugs on body composition in low income setting. The aim of this study was to assess changes in body composition among psychiatric patients taking antipsychotic drugs. A longitudinal study was conducted among 74 clients attending psychiatric clinic at Jimma university specialized hospital. A consecutive sampling method was applied. Body weight, height, waist and hip circumferences and skin fold thickness were measured before and after 12 weeks of therapy. A structured questionnaire was used to assess socio-demographic and socio-economic factors. The data were analysed using SPSS Version 20 for Windows. One way ANOVA, paired t-test, and independent t-test were applied to examine mean change in body composition indicators across the variables. The mean ± SD of body weight, Body mass index, waist to hip ratio, Percent body fat of patients taking antipsychotic drugs were significantly higher by 4.16 kg ± 2.78, 1.54 kg/m2 ± 1.08, 1.27 ± 0.781 and 0.02 ± 1.08 respectively. Increment of body composition was not even among different types of drugs used. The mean change in weight for Risperidone, Haloperidol, and Chlorpromazine were 4.3, 3.4, 5.4 kg, respectively. The increase in body composition observed in this study was irrespective of socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics of the patients. Significant increment in body weight, BMI, waist to hip ratio and percent body fat was observed among psychotic patients who took Risperidone, Haloperidol, and Chlorpromazine. Efforts to mitigate the untoward effects of these drugs should begin early before evident metabolic risk profile changes become evident. Despite their irrevocability in the therapeutics of mental illness, an antipsychotic drug has many side effects including change in the body composition. More specifically, atypical antipsychotics, such as, Olanazapin, were often associated with increased weight gain compared to conventional antipsychotics, risking patients to metabolic syndrome. Generally, there is lack of study concerning effects of antipsychotic drugs on body composition in low income setting. The aim of this study was to assess changes in body composition among psychiatric patients taking antipsychotic drugs. A longitudinal study was conducted among 74 clients attending psychiatric clinic at Jimma university specialized hospital. A consecutive sampling method was applied. Body weight, height, waist and hip circumferences and skin fold thickness were measured before and after 12 weeks of therapy. A structured questionnaire was used to assess socio-demographic and socio-economic factors. The data were analysed using SPSS Version 20 for Windows. One way ANOVA, paired t-test, and independent t-test were applied to examine mean change in body composition indicators across the variables. The mean ± SD of body weight, Body mass index, waist to hip ratio, Percent body fat of patients taking antipsychotic drugs were significantly higher by 4.16 kg ± 2.78, 1.54 kg/m2 ± 1.08, 1.27 ± 0.781 and 0.02 ± 1.08 respectively. Increment of body composition was not even among different types of drugs used. The mean change in weight for Risperidone, Haloperidol, and Chlorpromazine were 4.3, 3.4, 5.4 kg, respectively. The increase in body composition observed in this study was irrespective of socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics of the patients. Significant increment in body weight, BMI, waist to hip ratio and percent body fat was observed among psychotic patients who took Risperidone, Haloperidol, and Chlorpromazine. Efforts to mitigate the untoward effects of these drugs should begin early before evident metabolic risk profile changes become evident.