Physical health monitoring for metabolic syndrome in patients prescribed olanzapine in Oman

Abstract EN

Background: Clozapine and olanzapine are highly associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome resulting in lower functional outcomes, poorer quality of life and non-compliance to treatment.

Objective: The current study examined the rate of assessment of metabolic syndrome parameters in patients on olanzapine attending Almasarrah Hospital in Muscat.

Methods: Patients starting olanzapine between January 2014 and May 2015 were recruited to the study, which is based on the retrospective revision of cases gathered from medical records over a period of 18 months.

Patients aged 18 years or above, who were prescribed olanzapine and had five or more hospital visits were included.

Demographics included physical health parameters with regards to metabolic syndrome, namely blood pressure, weight, fasting blood sugar level and lipid profile.

Results were compared to the ADA-APA monitoring protocol for patients on second generation antipsychotics.

Results: N=46 patients met study inclusion criteria.

No gender difference was identified.

Most (74%) were between 21 and 40 years of age with 50% diagnosed with schizophrenia; 50% did not have a baseline lipid profile and 30% had blood sugar levels checked prior to olanzapine therapy.

The majority (97%) had blood pressure and weight measured at baseline and follow-up.

Overall, none of the patients matched the full standards of the ADA-APA protocol.

Conclusion: Screening for metabolic syndrome among patient prescribed olanzapine in Almasarrah Hospital is behind international standards.

This is especially true for lipid profile and fasting blood sugar level parameters.

Findings are consistent with similar studies.

Further studies should assess factors contributing to suboptimal monitoring of olanzapine-induced metabolic syndrome