J Clin Psychiatry

Are higher valproate doses associated with weight gain?

April 15, 2024

This study provides evidence that valproate dosing, mainly for doses at or above 1,300 mg/day, is associated with weight gain in psychiatric patients, suggesting that the lowest effective doses should be prescribed to minimize weight gain.

• Data from 215 patients taking valproate for up to one year were collected from two longitudinal studies that monitored metabolic variables between 2007 and 2022.
• An increase in valproate dose of 500 mg was associated with a weight change of +0.52% per month over a year (P< .001), which was evident both before and after three months of treatment.
• Weight increase was greater for treatment durations of <3 months compared to ≥3 months (+0.56%, P <.001 and +0.12%, P = .02 per month, respectively). A significant association between dose and weight gain was observed in patients receiving doses equal to or above the median dose (1,300 mg/day), with a +0.50% increase in weight for each dose increment of 500 mg (P = .004). Among men, each 500 mg dose increment was associated with weight increases of +0.59% per month (P = .004), whereas a trend was observed for women (+0.40%, P = .09).
• No associations were seen between valproate dose and blood glucose, lipid levels, or BP over a 6-month period.

Source:

Grosu C, et al. (2024, March 27). J Clin Psychiatry. Associations of Valproate Doses With Weight Gain in Adult Psychiatric Patients: A 1-Year Prospective Cohort Study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38535509/