Longitudinal effects of atypical antipsychotic drugs on body composition in first-episode and chronic schizophrenia patients

In this preliminary longitudinal study, AAPDs - particularly olanzapine - were associated with rapid and significant increases in central obesity among FSCZ patients. whereas CSCZ patients exhibited metabolic stability over the short observation period. These findings suggest that both disease stage and treatment phase play critical roles in shaping body fat distribution trajectories. The early phase of antipsychotic treatment may represent a vulnerable period for targeted metabolic monitoring and timely intervention to prevent long-term cardiometabolic risks. While these results provide preliminary evidence for stage-specific metabolic patterns, confirmation in larger, randomized, and longer-term studies is required.