The aim of this study was to explore changes of metabolic variables (Glucose, HbA1c), lipids (cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, Lp-a), and inflammatory variables (IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α) during three months of treatment with long-acting risperidone.

The study was carried out as an open study, on 22 patients with schizophrenia (male N=14; female N=8), aged from 22 to 63 years (mean±SD; 35.3±6.7). Diagnosis of schizophrenia was based on ICD 10 criteria, and all patients fulfilled criteria for paranoid type of schizophrenia. Duration of illness was 1 to 10 years (mean±SD; 4±1.4 years). All patients were treated by only with long acting risperidone with doses of 25mg (N=16), 37.5mg (N=5), and 50mg (N=1) every two weeks.

We did not find any statistically significant differences in serum concentrations of metabolic (Glucose; F=0.471, p>0.01; HbA1c, F=0.512; p>0.01) or lipids (cholesterol, F=0.291; p>0.01; HDL-cholesterol, F=0.363; p>0.01; LDL-cholesterol, F=0.396; p>0.01, triglycerides, F=0.333; p>0.01; Lp-a, F=0.160; p>0.01) during three months of treatment of patients with schizophrenia with long acting risperidone. However, the three months of treatment with long acting risperidone caused a statistically significant changes of serum IL-6 concentrations (F=2.279; p<0.01) or CRP concentrations (F=3.279; p<0.01). Serum concentrations of TNF-α did not change during the three months of treatment with long acting risperidone (F=0.569; p>0.01).

In conclusion, the treatment with long acting risperidone is safe and don't influence on glucose or lipids metabolism. Also, the treatment with long acting risperidone decreases serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines and in that way decreases the neurotoxicity of those inflammatory parameters.