International clinical psychopharmacology
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Int Clin Psychopharmacol · Jul 1999
Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe effect of long-term antipsychotic treatment on the body weight of patients suffering from chronic schizophrenia: clozapine versus classical antipsychotic agents.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term clozapine treatment on body weight changes in neuroleptic-resistant chronic schizophrenic patients and to compare it with that of classical antipsychotic agents. The body mass index (BMI) of 96 neuroleptic-resistant chronic schizophrenic patients was calculated before the beginning and after long-term (mean +/- SD 1.7 +/- 1.3 years) clozapine treatment. ⋯ The change in BMI (delta BMI) was similar in both groups (P < 0.9). We conclude that the increase in body weight caused by long-term (> 6 months) clozapine treatment is comparable to that obtained following long-term classical antipsychotic agents treatment.