Effects of low dose metformin on metabolic traits in clozapine-treated schizophrenia patients: An exploratory twelve-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Chih Chiang Chiu, Mong-Liang Lu, Ming Chyi Huang, Po Yu Chen, Yen-Kuang Lin, Shih Ku Lin, Chun-Hsin Chen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background Metformin has been used for alleviating metabolic abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia. The lowest dose of metformin to treat metabolic abnormalities in clozapine-treated patients is 1000 mg/d. This study was designed to determine whether metformin at 500 mg/d and 1000 mg/d is effective in improving the metabolic profiles of clozapine-treated patients with pre-existing metabolic abnormalities, and whether its effectiveness depends on metformin dosage. Methods In this 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, metformin at 500 mg/d or 1000 mg/d was prescribed to clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia who had preexisting metabolic abnormalities. The recruited patients underwent physical and laboratory evaluations at weeks 4, 8, and 12. The outcomes were any changes in metabolic traits. Results Among the 96 clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia screened for the trial, 55 patients with pre-existing metabolic abnormalities were randomly assigned to placebo (n = 18), metformin dosage at 500 mg/d (n = 18), and metformin dosage at 1000 mg/d (n = 19) groups. The body weight (BW) of patients in the metformin 1000 mg/d group significantly decreased, by a mean of 0.97 kg over the 12 week trial period. Moreover, patients in the metformin at 500 mg/d and 1000 mg/d groups had a significant decrease in body mass index (BMI) after 12 weeks, with the mean decrease being 0.70 and 0.50 kg/m2 , respectively. No significant changes were observed in the other metabolic parameters of patients in the three groups. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that a low metformin dosage of either 500 mg/d or 1000 mg/d for 12 weeks slightly reduced the BW and BMI of clozapine-treated patients with pre-existing metabolic abnormalities. A longer period of treatment with a larger sample is warranted to determine the factors that influence the metformin treatment response.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0168347
JournalPLoS One
Volume11
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 1 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine
  • General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

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