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Table 24 Olanzapine for children and adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa

From: Canadian practice guidelines for the treatment of children and adolescents with eating disorders

Certainty assessment

Impact

Certainty

Importance

№ of studies

Study design

Risk of bias

Inconsistency

Indirectness

Imprecision

Other considerations

Weight (assessed with: BMI), Psychological Symptoms, Side Effects

 1

randomised trials

not serious

not serious

not serious

not serious

none

RCT with 10 subjects in olanzapine group and 10 in placebo group. No differences were found between groups in rate of weight restoration or final weight. Difference in BMI was 0.4 kg/m2 and was not significant. Mean dose was 8.5 mg/day.

HIGH

CRITICAL

not serious

not serious

not serious

not serious

none

No differences in eating disorder symptoms or psychological functioning.

HIGH

CRITICAL

not serious

not serious

not serious

not serious

none

A trend of increasing fasting glucose and insulin levels were found in the olanzapine group.

HIGH

CRITICAL

Weight gain, activity levels, side effects

 3

Case Control

serious a

not serious

not serious a

not serious

none

There are three non randomized case control studies. One of the studies found the rate of weight gain was greater in the olanzapine group, while another study found no differences between cases and controls in terms of weight gain.

VERY LOW

CRITICAL

serious a

not serious

not serious a

not serious

none

Reduced activity levels were observed in one study.

VERY LOW

CRITICAL

serious a

not serious

not serious a

not serious

none

Sedation and dyslipidemia was found in 56% of patients in one study. One study found that 32% of patients discontinued the treatment due to a side effect.

VERY LOW

CRITICAL

Weight, hyperactivity, side effects

 2

Case Series

very serious a

not serious

not serious

not serious

none

60 patients total involved in these two case series. Improvements in weight noted.

VERY LOW

CRITICAL

very serious a

not serious

not serious

not serious

none

Improvements in hyperactivity are noted.

VERY LOW

CRITICAL

very serious a

not serious

not serious

not serious

none

No long term adverse effects were seen 3 months after discontinuing medication.

VERY LOW

CRITICAL

Weight, side effects

 13

Case Reports

very serious a

not serious

not serious

not serious

none

Thirteen studies report on 30 cases. All studies report improvement in weight.

VERY LOW

CRITICAL

very serious a

not serious

not serious

not serious

none

One case study reports on QTc prolongation (a problem on the ECG), another reports a case with neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

VERY LOW

CRITICAL

  1. Explanations
  2. aobservational study, non randomized
  3. Bibliography:
  4. RCT - Kafantaris 2011 [137]
  5. Case Control - Spettigue 2018 [138], Norris 2011 [139], Hillebrand 2005 [140]
  6. Case Series -Swenne 2011 [141], Leggero 2010 [142]
  7. Case Reports - Pisano 2014 [143], Duvvuri 2012 [42], Dennis 2006 [144], Boachie 2003 [145], Mehler 2001 [146], La Via 2000 [147], Dadic-Hero 2009 [148], Hein 2010 [149], Tateno 2008 [150], Ercan 2003 [151], Dodig-Curkovic 2010 [152], Ayyildiz 2016 [153], Ritchie 2009 [154]