Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain: Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. (8th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Hui; Siafis, Spyridon; Hamza, Tasnim; Schneider-Thoma, Johannes; Davis, John M; Salanti, Georgia; Leucht, Stefan
• Is Part Of: Schizophrenia bulletin. Volume 48:Number 3(2022)
• Page Start: 643
• Page End: 654
• Publication Date: 2022-02-08
• Subjects: dose-response relationship -- metabolic side- effects -- olanzapine -- risperidone -- paliperidone -- quetiapine; Schizophrenia -- Periodicals; Schizophrenia -- Research -- Periodicals; 616.898005
• DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbac001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0586-7614

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Weight gain is among the most important side-effects of antipsychotics. It is, however, unclear whether it is associated with antipsychotic doses. We aimed to fill this gap with a dose-response meta-analysis. Methods: We searched multiple electronic databases (last update search June 2021) for all fixed-dose studies that investigated 16 second-generation antipsychotics and haloperidol in adults with acute exacerbation of schizophrenia or with negative symptoms. We estimated the dose-response curves by conducting random-effects dose-response meta-analyses. We used the restricted cubic spline to model the dose-response relationship. The primary outcome was mean weight gain in kg from baseline to endpoint, the secondary outcome was the number of patients with clinically important weight gain. Findings: Ninety-seven studies with 333 dose arms (36 326 participants) provided data for meta-analyses. Most studies were short-term with median duration of 6 weeks (range 4 to 26 weeks). In patients with acute exacerbation, amisulpride, aripiprazole, brexpiprazole, cariprazine, haloperidol, lumateperone, and lurasidone produced mild weight gain in comparison to placebo (mean difference at any dose≤1 kg), while more significant weight gain was observed by all other drugs. For most drugs, dose-response curves showed an initial dose-related increase in weight which plateaued at higher doses, while for others there was no plateau and some even had bell-shaped curves, meaning less weight gain to be associated with higher doses. Interpretation: Second-generation antipsychotics do not only differ in their propensity to produce weight gain, but also in the shapes of their dose-response curves. This information is important for dosing decisions in clinical practice.