A Placebo Controlled Trial on Add-on Modafinil on the Anti-psychotic Treatment Emergent Hyperglycemia and Hyperlipidemia

Modafinil is non stimulant drug which is marketed for mainly Narcolepsy and daytime drowsiness. The clinical experience and Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) of the drug also mentions Anorexia as one of the side effects. Anorexia can have a direct impact on the carbohydrate and fat intake, which may, in turn, regulate antipsychotic induced dyslipidemia and Hyperglycaemia. AIM: To compare the effects of Modafinil- ADDON with Placebo add on with olanzapine, Clozapine and Risperidone in drug naive subjects and people who were started on the drugs within 15days of assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Randomized, Double blind, Placebo controlled study, which was conducted at two centres, one at department of Psychiatry, S.V Medical College, Tirupati and the other at Asha hospitals, Hyderabad. Seventy two patient were randomised, sixty three patients have completed the total study period of three months. The dose of Modafinil was 200 mgs constantly as Flexible doses of Olanzapine, Clozapine and Risperidone as per clinical need was given. A baseline, three week and twelve week assessments of Fasting blood Glucose and fasting Serum cholesterol were made and the groups were compared on these parameters. RESULTS: From baseline to week 3 there was a significant raise in Fasting serum cholesterol followed by a fall from week 3 to week 12 in the Modafinil addon group, though it could not be considered a drug for hypercholesteremia like Statins in controlling hyperlipidaemia. The implications of these findings were discussed.