%0 Journal Article
%T Fatty Acid Desaturase Gene Polymorphisms and Metabolic Measures in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Patients Taking Antipsychotics
%A Kyle J. Burghardt
%A Kristen N. Gardner
%A Joshua W. Johnson
%A Vicki L. Ellingrod
%J Cardiovascular Psychiatry and Neurology
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/596945
%X Atypical antipsychotics have become a common therapeutic option in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, these medications come with a high risk of metabolic side effects, particularly dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. Therefore, identification of patients who are at increased risk for metabolic side effects is of great importance. The genetics of fatty acid metabolism is one area of research that may help identify such patients. Therefore, in this present study, we aimed to determine the effect of one commonly studied genetic polymorphism from both fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) and FADS2 gene on a surrogate measure of insulin resistance and lipid levels in a metabolically high-risk population of patients largely exposed to atypical antipsychotics. This study used a cross-sectional design, fasting blood draws, and genetic analysis to investigate associations between polymorphisms, haplotypes, and metabolic measures. A total of 320 subjects with schizophrenia ( ) or bipolar disorder ( ) were included in this study. The mean age of the population was 42.5 years and 45% were male. A significant association between FADS1 and FADS2 haplotypes was found with insulin resistance while controlling for confounders. Further investigation is required to replicate this finding. 1. Background The use of antipsychotics, particularly the atypical antipsychotics (AAPs), is considered the standard of care in schizophrenia symptom management and is becoming a common therapeutic choice in the management of bipolar disorder [1¨C3]. The fact that AAPs are commonly used in both of these populations may be due to the overlapping symptomatology that is seen as well as the genetic overlap that has been identified in several disease linkage studies [4¨C7]. Although many studies support the use of AAPs in the severely mentally ill, these medications come with a high risk of metabolic side effects. This risk requires careful monitoring and management as the cardiometabolic side effects have been shown to increase the cost of care, decrease adherence, and, most severely, have negative consequences on length and quality of life [8¨C11]. Therefore, investigation into lifestyle, diet, and genetic factors that may increase or attenuate the risk of metabolic side effects in patients taking AAPs is important and of high interest. One current line of research within the area of AAP metabolic side effects concentrates on fatty acid metabolism and its influence on metabolic measures. Fatty acids (FAs) serve many important physiological functions including energy reserves,
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/cpn/2013/596945/