Introduction: Body mass index (BMI) increase is an undesired effect associated with antipsychotics, and crucial for patients' global health and treatment compliance. We aimed to investigate the relation between BMI during olanzapine or haloperidol treatments and leptin, neuropeptide Y (NPY), adiponectin and lipid serum levels.
Methods: In this 9-month, randomized and naturalist study, 34 male patients, 18 on olanzapine and 16 on haloperidol group were enrolled, all were under monotherapy. Patient outcome was evaluated with positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) at every 3-month period. In each visit, BMI, leptin, NPY, lipid, olanzapine or haloperidol levels were also monitored.
Results and discussion: Leptin levels positively correlated with BMI in olanzapine (r=0.64, p<0.001) and haloperidol (r=0.73, p<0.001) groups; only in olanzapine patients, the former also correlated with PANSS score (r=0.54, p<0.05). NPY levels negatively correlated with olanzapine levels (r=− 0.65, p<0.01). Adiponectin levels had not significantly varied.
Conclusion: Antipsychotics probably interfere on leptin and NPY signalling ways and disturb these hormones in eating behaviour control.