Medical Journal of The Islamic Republic of Iran (MJIRI)

Background: Schizophrenia is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) has been suggested as a cardiovascular biomarker. Treatment with atypical antipsychotics can increase some traditional risk factors of coronary artery disease. In addition to traditional risk factors, this study is carried out as a comparison of serum levels of ADMA and non-traditional factors among patients who take two types of atypical antipsychotics.
   Methods: In this clinical study, 57 schizophrenic patients with multiple episodes and 20 healthy voluntaries that fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria were entered into the study. The patients were divided into 3 groups (18 patients received risperidone alone, 20 patients received clozapine alone and 19 patients did not receive any drug). Plasma concentrations of ADMA, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and homocysteine were measured through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and traditional risk factors of metabolic syndrome were measured.
   Results: Mean age of participants was 46.08±12.54 years. Moreover, the traditional (High-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol, waistline, and Body Mass Index (BMI)) and non-traditional factors (Homocysteine, hs-CRP) and ADMA were higher in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy group (p≤ 0.05). Also, in the clozapine group, all mentioned non-traditional factors and ADMA were significantly higher than other groups (p≤ 0.05).
   Conclusion: In the clozapine group, levels of non-traditional factors and ADMA were significantly higher which indicates these patients are at risk of cardiovascular disease.