Objectives: Epidemiological studies have shown that low levels of dehydroepiandrosterone might increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation in schizophrenic patients treated with olanzapine would influence the anthropometric and biochemical parameters of metabolic syndrome.
Methods: Male schizophrenic patients (no=55) participated in a twelve-week, randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study. They received 100 mg dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or placebo as an augmentation of olanzapine treatment (an average dosage 15 mg/day). Main outcomes of the study were changes in lipid profile, fasting glucose levels, body mass index and waist circumference values.
Results: Forty five patients completed the study. There were no major changes in the overall cholesterol value, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol or triglycerides in either group. The results of the repeated measures analysis of the system: fasting glucose level 2x, (at the beginning and end of the study), 2x (the study group and the control group), showed a significant interaction (F =5.7, df= 1.000 p= 0.021). The blood glucose level was decreased in the DHEA group. Furthermore, increases in waist circumference (delta= -1.11, t=-2.87; df=20; p=0.01) and BMI value (delta= -0.48, t=-2.38; df=19; p=0.028) were observed in the placebo group.
Conclusions: Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation results in stabilization of BMI, waist circumference and fasting glycaemia values in schizophrenic patients treated with olanzapine. To confirm the insulin-like effect of dehydroepiandrosterone, long-term research concentrating on the evaluation of glucose metabolism has to be performed.
Keywords: dehydroepiandrosterone; metabolic syndrome; schizophrenia.