Influence of olanzapine on serum prolactin levels and BMI in female patients with schizophrenia

Abstract

Objectives

It has been well documented that elevation of serum prolactin (PRL) level and weight gain are common in patients receiving treatment with atypical antipsychotics. The existing evidences show that serum PRL is elevated in schizophrenic patients treated with olanzapine. However, little is known about the long-term effects of olanzapine on PRL levels and weight gain in female patients with schizophrenia.

Materials and methods

This study addressed this issue by investigating the relationship between serum PRL level and body mass index (BMI). Seventy-nine female patients with first-episode schizophrenia were recruited and received olanzapine monotherapy for 12 weeks. Serum PRL level and BMI were measured at baseline and at 4, 8, 12 weeks. Thirty-five age-matched healthy female individuals were recruited as controls. The severity of psychiatric symptoms was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale.

Results

The olanzapine treatment for 12 weeks significantly increased serum PRL (P<0.01) level and BMI (P<0.01). A positive correlation between the pre- and posttreatment changes in serum PRL level and BMI was observed (r=0.247, P=0.028).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that PRL might conceivably modulate weight gain in female patients with schizophrenia receiving olanzapine treatment; however, the exact mechanism remains unclear.

Keywords:

• schizophrenia
• prolactin
• BMI
• olanzapine

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to all participants. This study was supported by the Wenzhou Science and Technology Commission Foundation (Y20140426) and (Y20160103). The funding sources of this study had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the article.

Author contributions

FY drafted the manuscript, FY, LC, XF, KZ, CZhu, CX were responsible for clinical data collection and lab experiments. WT and CZha was responsible for study design and manuscript preparation. All authors contributed toward data analysis, drafting and critically revising the paper, gave final approval of the version to be published and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.