Posted by Sad Panda on October 3, 2004, at 11:31:10
I thought this was interesting enough to warrant a copy & past.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ncdeu/abstracts2001/ncdeu3080.cfm
"Concomitant Use of Trazodone May Attenuate Olanzapine-Associated Weight Gain Olanzapine, Weight Gain, Trazodone, mCPP, Serotonin
George E Jaskiw 1; E-mail: gxj5@po.cwru.edu1 Louis Stokes Cleveland VAMC
Introduction: Olanzapine-associated weight gain is a significant adverse event that may lead to obesity-related health risks and poor medication compliance. The precise mechanisms underlying the weight gain are not known. It is possible that at least some of the weight gain may be mediated through olanzapine's antagonist actions on the 5-HT2C receptor. The latter has been implicated in the regulation of weight and satiety in both human and animal studies. mCPP, the primary metabolite of trazodone, is a potent agonist at the 5-HT2C receptor. Pharmacologically relevant plasma levels of mCPP are generated during treatment with trazodone. We posited that trazodone co-administered with olanzapine would reduce olanzapine-associated weight gain.
Methods: Ours was a retrospective chart review of weight changes in several groups of patients; A) patients treated with olanzapine alone (n=14), B) trazodone treatment initiated before olanzapine therapy (n=33), C) olanzapine treatment initiated before trazodone treatment (n=10).
Results: Patients taking olanzapine alone (Group A) gained a mean weight of 15.50+/- 12.46 lbs. over a course of 8.6 months (p<0.001). Patients treated with trazodone and then started on olanzapine (Group B), gained 5.21+/- 14.09lbs (p=0.02). The difference in weight gain between groups A and B was statistically significant (p < 0.002). Patients treated with olanzapine and subsequently started on trazodone (Group C) lost 5.78+/-11.51 lbs (NS).
Conclusions: The data suggest that concomitant treatment with trazodone may attenuate olanzapine-associated weight gain.
Significance: This study is compatible with the hypothesis that 5-HT2C antagonist actions may contribute to atypical antipsychotic-induced weight gain and that the latter may be attenuated by concomitant treatment with a 5-HT2C agonist. Prevention of weight gain could reduce long-term medical morbidity and improve medication compliance in patients taking olanzapine and other atypical antipsychotic drugs."
Trazodone is a wacky drug, but it's the only 5-HT2A antagonist on the market that is a 5-HT2C agonist. Any obese people here that have lost weight while using it?Cheers,
Paul.
poster:Sad Panda
thread:398511
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041002/msgs/398511.html