Evaluation of Dyslipidaemia Risk among Patients Treated with Aripiprazole: Meta Analysis of Placebo- and Olanzapine-controlled Studies

Abstract

Aims:

To evaluate dyslipidaemia risk among patients with schizophrenia treated with aripiprazole or olanzapine.

Methods:

Pooled analysis of the aripiprazole clinical database, including studies of ≥7 days with at least an oral aripiprazole monotherapy arm. Mean changes from baseline to endpoint and shifts from normal to abnormal lipid levels were calculated.

Results:

Seventeen placebo- and five olanzapine-controlled studies (3 weeks->3 years) of adult patients (≥18 years) were included. Mean changes (LOCF) in lipids were similar between aripiprazole and placebo for all lipid parameters; aripiprazole showed significant improvements versus olanzapine (p≤0.01). the incidence (OC) of switching to abnormal lipid levels from baseline normal was similar between placebo and aripiprazole, and significantly lower with aripiprazole than olanzapine for most measures.

Conclusion:

Despite limitations inherent to pooled analyses, these findings lend further support to the differential profile of atypicals, with aripiprazole showing effects on lipids comparable with placebo.