Atypical anti-psychotics are associated with an impaired in glucose and lipids homeostasis.

To evaluate, the effect in lipids and glucose levels after switching to long-acting injectable (LAI) aripiprazole.

This was a prospective, observational, 1 year study carried out in 125 outpatients with schizophrenia who were clinically stabilized but a switching to another anti-psychotic was indicated. We measured basal levels of glucose and lipids at the time to start the study and 1 year after switching to LAI-aripiprazole.

In basal analytic we observed these abnormalities: hyperglycemia (16.7%), high-levels of LDL-cholesterol (33.3%), low-levels of HDL-cholesterol (39%) and hypertrygliceridemia (22.2%). One year after switching to LAI-aripiprazole we found: glucose levels were normalized in all patients; levels of LDL-cholesterol were lower in 66.7% (in 33.3% levels were normalized) and they were higher in 16.7% (in 11% marked a change from normal to abnormal parameters); levels of HDL-cholesterol were lower in 23.3% and higher in 32.2% (in 11% levels were normalized); and finally, levels of tryglicerides were higher in 66.7% (in 8% marked a change from normal to abnormal parameters) and in 16.7% they were lower (in 7.3% levels were normalized).

LAI-aripiprazole has a beneficial effect in glucose and cholesterol levels. Although, it usually increases tryglicerides levels, only in seven cases there was a change from normal to abnormal parameters. Our study suggests that LAI-aripiprazol could be an alternative in patients with schizophrenia who have high levels of glucose and lipids related with atypical anti-psychotics treatment.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.