Hormonal correlates of clozapine-induced weight gain in psychotic children: An exploratory study

Abstract

Objective: Weight gain is a serious side effect of atypical antipsychotics, especially in childhood. In this study, the authors examined six weight gain-related hormones in patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) after 6 weeks of clozapine treatment. Method: Fasting serum samples for 24 patients with COS and 21 matched healthy controls (HC) were obtained. Levels of leptin, insulin, adiponectin, amylin, ghrelin, and tumor necrosis factor α were measured and compared between the groups. For 23 patients with COS, hormonal levels were measured at background and week 6 of clozapine treatment. Change in body mass index was correlated with levels of clozapine and changes in hormonal levels and clinical ratings. Results: At baseline, COS did not differ significantly from HC on any hormonal measure. Clozapine treatment was associated with significant (7.9% ± 8.5%) increase in mean body mass index. Only leptin levels increased significantly from baseline to week 6 on clozapine (p = .003). Body mass index increase was significantly correlated with decrease in ghrelin and adiponectin and was positively correlated with clinical improvement. Conclusions: This is the first study of weight gain-related hormones in children on clozapine. Hormonal changes are correlated with weight gain. How effectiveness of clozapine is linked to weight gain remains uncertain. ©2005 by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.