Posted by Iansf on September 28, 2005, at 11:34:06
Amantadine Curbs Weight Increase in Patients Taking Olanzapine
Reuters Health Information 2005. © 2005 Reuters Ltd.
Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Sept 16 - Amantadine may help stabilize weight in psychiatric patients taking the antipsychotic olanzapine, researchers report in the September issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Dr. Karen A. Graham and colleagues from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,
note that weight gain "is the most important tolerability issue" for second-generation antipsychotics.
To investigate whether amantadine might combat such weight increase, the researchers
randomized 21 psychiatric patients who had gained at least 5 lb with olanzapine to also receive amantadine or placebo. The researchers assessed body mass index (BMI), psychiatric status, and fasting blood levels at baseline and at 12 weeks.
The median length of treatment with olanzapine prior to study entry was 7 months. Baseline BMI was 32.9 in the amantadine group and 31.8 in the placebo group. Three patients in the amantadine group and none in the placebo group withdrew from the study.
Significantly fewer patients in the amantadine group gained weight compared to the placebo group. The amantadine patients lost a mean of 0.8 lb and had a mean drop in BMI of 0.07, the placebo patients gained a mean of 8.7 lb and had a BMI increase of 1.24.
The effect remained significant after controlling for BMI and length of olanzapine treatment before study entry. Overall, weight stabilization or loss was seen in 8 (67%) of 12 amantadine-treated patients and 2 (22%) of the 9 placebo-treated subjects.
The researchers note that the mechanism by which amantadine stabilizes weight is unknown, but that prevention of antipsychotic-related obesity is critical.
"Investigation of the use of amantadine started concurrently with antipsychotic medication," they conclude, "is imperative."
Am J Psychiatry 2005;162:1744-1746.
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