Quetiapine Effect against Increased Body Weight on Schizophrenic Patients

Abstract

Increased body weight often observed as a side effect of antipsychotic treatment, but this is rarely reported and known by many patients. Quetiapine research conducted during of the 1-year showed an increase in average body weight after treatment of 2.1 kg in 778 patients after 5-6 weeks; 1.9 on 556 patients after 6-9 months; and 2.8 kg in 360 patients after 9-12 months. This study to determine the effect of quetiapine on increased body weight in schizophrenic patients (baseline and endpoint) by gender, age, and increased of body mass index (BMI). The study design was a pre-experimental research in the form of one group pretest - posttest design in a mental hospital in North Sumatera Province period from April 2011 until June 2011. This study found 30 participants showed increased body weight from the early month until the 1 month is 0.943 (SD=0.681) with dependent t test found significant differences in improvement of early month until the 1 month increased of body weight (p=0.0001). The mean weight loss of the 1 month until 2 months was 0.88 (SD=0.503) with dependent t test found significant differences in the increase body weight of the 1 month until 2 months (p=0.0001). The mean increase of initial BMI to the 1 month is 0.539 (SD=1.070) with dependent t test found significant differences in improvement of initial BMI and 1 month (p=0.01). The mean BMI of the 1 month until 2 months was 0.379 (SD=0.221) with dependent t test found significant differences increased  in BMI of the 1 month until 2 months (p=0.0001). There were no significant differences in body weight change based on age groups (P=0.238) and not significantly different changes in body weight based on gender (P=0.256). There are significant difference in increased of body weight and body mass index on usage the oral quetiapine.

Keywords: schizophrenic patients, body weight, body mass index.