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High rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome are associated with olanzapine and some other atypical antipsychotics and mood-stabilizing agents. In one treatment study, 79% of patients initiating antipsychotic agents had weight increases of at least 7% (J Clin Psychiatry 2006; 67:1253). Thus, investigators have sought strategies to counter weight gain in patients taking these medications. In this double-blind, Chinese-government–supported, 12-week study, 37 normoglycemic, normal-weight inpatients with new-onset schizophrenia received olanzapine (15 mg/day) plus either metformin (250 mg 3 times daily) or placebo.
Among completers, placebo was associated with significantly greater gain in weight and body-mass index than metformin; placebo was a…