Quetiapine and Long-Term Weight Change: A Comprehensive Data Review of Patients With Schizophrenia

Background: To assess the magnitude and pattern of weight change during long-term treatment with the atypical antipsychotic quetiapine.

Method: Data were collected from patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia treated with quetiapine in the AstraZeneca clinical trials program from July 1993 to May 1999. Weight changes in patients treated for 12, 52, and 104 weeks were analyzed; the primary parameter was the change in weight at week 52.

Results: In total, 352 patients were treated with quetiapine for 52 weeks. The mean weight gain at this timepoint was 3.19 kg; median weight gain was 2.5 kg. Overall, 37% of patients gained ≥ 7% of their baseline body weight; however, the degree of weight gain was inversely related to baseline body mass index in this cohort. In patients treated with 60%) occurred within the first 12 weeks of quetiapine treatment, with modest changes after 6 months.

Conclusions: Long-term treatment with quetiapine monotherapy is associated with moderate weight gain. Most weight gain occurs within the first 12 weeks of treatment and has no clear dose relationship.’ ‹