[Decrease in mineral bone density in schizophrenic patients treated with 2nd generation antipsychotics].

UNLABELLED: Decrease in bone mineral density may lead to osteopenia or osteoporosis. In patients with schizophrenia it may be attributed to medication-related hyperprolactinemia and hypogonadism, low physical activity, smoking, dietary deficiencies, low exposure to sunshine and polydipsia. Many of these factors can be eliminated. Early diagnosis and treatment may decrease the prevalence of osteoporosis amongst people with schizophrenia.

AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate bone mineral density in patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia treated with second generation antipsychotics in reference to the control group of healthy, non-medicated volunteers.

METHOD: 60 schizophrenic patients were the participants in the study. 26 of them were treated with risperidone, 34 with olanzapine and 38 were healthy, non-medicated volunteers--the control group. Subjects were excluded for any medical condition or other treatment known to cause osteoporosis. The females were all premenopausal. Bone mineral density was determined by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).

RESULTS AND

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with schizophrenia suffer from a lower mean bone mineral density in comparison to the control group and there was no significant statistical difference between patients treated with risperidone or those treated with olanzapine. The BMD was decreased in 37.7% patients (28.3% had osteopenia i 9.4% osteoporosis) and in 15.8% controls (13.2% osteopenia i 2.6% osteoporosis). There was no difference between groups treated with risperidone or olanzapine.