Effects of Adjunctive Betahistine Therapy on Lipid Metabolism in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline Characteristics of Participants and Comparison Between Betahistine Group and Placebo Group

Items	Betahistine Group (n = 47)	Placebo Group (n = 47)	t/u/χ^2	p
Gender (female /male)	19/28	18/29	0.045	0.833
Age (year)	46.49 ± 9.00	46.28 ± 10.17	−0.091	0.928
Course (year)	22.55 ± 10.71	22.13 ± 11.37	−0.091	0.928
Chloropyrazine equivalent (mg)	376.51 ± 145.00	353.30 ± 190.81	0.660	0.060
Weight (kg)	72.48 ± 10.67	70.63 ± 17.60	0.559	0.553
BMI (kg/m^2)	25.37 ± 3.45	25.07 ± 4.97	0.263	0.793
Waist circumference (cm)	93.57 ± 9.16	92.40 ± 15.19	0.362	0.718
Hip circumference (cm)	99.57 ± 7.27	99.81 ± 11.46	−0.204	0.893
WHR	0.94 ± 0.06	0.92 ± 0.08	1.116	0.267
TG (mmol/L)	1.87 ± 0.90	1.81 ± 0.84	−0.411	0.628
HDL-C (mmol/L)	1.02 ± 0.20	1.18 ± 0.62	−1.628	0.107
LDL-C (mmol/L)	2.49 ± 0.71	2.36 ± 0.70	0.851	0.397
TC (mmol/L)	4.29 ± 0.89	4.18 ± 0.92	0.616	0.540
Apo-A (g/L)	1.45 ± 0.39	1.53 ± 0.52	−0.672	0.504
Apo-b (g/L)	0.78 ± 0.21	0.73 ± 0.17	1.022	0.309
LP(a) (mg/dL)	37.12 ± 36.22	35.46 ± 35.40	0.342	0.733

Note: Quantitative data are reported as mean ± SD. Qualitative data are expressed as frequencies.

Abbreviations: BMI, Body mass index; WHR, Waist-to-hip ratio; TG, Triglyceride; HDL-C, High density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C, Low density lipoprotein cholesterol; TC, Total cholesterol; Apo-A, Apolipoprotein a; Apo-b, Apolipoprotein b; LP(a), Lipoprotein (a).

Table 2 Comparison of Weight and Lipid Metabolism in Betahistine Group and Placebo Group at Baseline and 4 Weeks

Items	Betahistine Group	Placebo Group	Group×Time Interaction
			F	p
Weight (kg)
Baseline	72.48 ± 10.67	70.63 ± 17.60
Week 4	72.27 ± 10.91	70.44 ± 17.17	0.004	0.949
BMI (kg/m^2)
Baseline	25.37 ± 3.45	25.07 ± 4.97
Week 4	25.93 ± 0.94	25.42 ± 6.48	0.089	0.766
WHR
Baseline	0.94 ± 0.06	0.92 ± 0.08
Week 4	0.93 ± 0.06	0.93 ± 0.07	4.473	0.037*
Waist (cm)
Baseline	93.57 ± 9.16	92.40 ± 15.18
Week 4	93.37 ± 9.23	92.40 ± 15.19	0.736	0.393
Hip (cm)
Baseline	99.57 ± 7.27	99.81 ± 11.46
Week 4	99.48 ± 7.60	97.70 ± 8.49	3.184	0.078
TG (mmol/L)
Baseline	1.87 ± 0.90	1.81 ± 0.84
Week 4	1.64 ± 0.74	1.78 ± 0.75	1.939	0.168
HDL-C (mmol/L)
Baseline	1.02 ± 0.20	1.18 ± 0.62
Week 4	1.04 ± 0.22	1.10 ± 0.26	1.140	0.289
LDL-C (mmol/L)
Baseline	2.49 ± 0.71	2.36 ± 0.70
Week 4	2.42 ± 0.74	2.52 ± 0.76	6.453	0.013*
TC (mmol/L)
Baseline	4.26 ± 0.90	4.13 ± 0.92
Week 4	4.13 ± 0.93	4.19 ± 0.98	2.745	0.101
Apo-A (g/L)
Baseline	0.78 ± 0.21	0.73 ± 0.17
Week 4	0.77 ± 0.26	0.76 ± 0.19	0.355	0.553
Apo-b (g/L)
Baseline	37.12 ± 36.22	35.46 ± 35.40
Week 4	34.82 ± 32.32	36.23 ± 36.04	2.187	0.143
LP(a) (mg/dl)
Baseline	42.58 ± 59.26	35.49 ± 51.79
Week 4	37.34 ± 47.08	27.64 ± 17.85	0.798	0.374

Note: Control variables: gender and age. * p < 0.05.

Abbreviations: BMI, Body mass index; WHR, Waist-to-hip ratio; TG, Triglyceride; HDL-C, High density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C, Low density lipoprotein cholesterol; TC, Total cholesterol; Apo-A, Apolipoprotein a; Apo-b, Apolipoprotein b; LP(a), Lipoprotein (a).

Table 3 Changes in Psychiatric Symptoms of Patients in Betahistine and Placebo Groups at Baseline and 4 Weeks Later

Items	Betahistine Group		Placebo Group		Group×Time Interaction
	Baseline	Week 4	Baseline	Week 4	F	p
PANSS-positive symptom scores	17.43 ± 5.22	17.49 ± 5.09	18.00 ± 5.03	18.68 ± 4.92	2.82	0.09
PANSS-negative symptom scores	22.45 ± 7.73	21.43 ± 7.04	23.04 ± 7.27	22.64 ± 6.70	3.11	0.08
PANSS-general psychopathological symptom scores	34.70 ± 6.94	34.11 ± 6.74	33.81 ± 6.47	33.47 ± 6.60	0.80	0.37
PANSS total scores	74.57± 14.20	73.23± 13.25	74.85± 13.64	74.79± 13.33	3.09	0.08

Abbreviation: PANSS, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale.