Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/926589

OpenURL Link
Title
Low prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in never-treated chronic schizophrenia
Author/Creator
Padmavati, Ramachandran;  McCreadie, Robin G.;  Tirupati, Srinivasan
Institution
The University of Newcastle. Faculty of Health, School of Medicine and Public Health
Description
Introduction: Antipsychotic medication and lifestyle factors are implicated in the high rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome in schizophrenia. While the two Consensus Statements made in 2004 concluded they were unclear whether psychiatric disorders per se accounted for increased prevalence of metabolic disorders several later studies have presented the case for an association between schizophrenia and metabolic disorders, especially impaired glucose metabolism and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, independent of antipsychotic drug treatment. Methods: This is a comparative study of 51 patients with chronic schizophrenia who never received antipsychotic drug treatment and 51 healthy controls. Physical and laboratory assessments were made to measure body-mass index and diagnose metabolic syndrome using the International Diabetes Federation (2006) criteria. Results: The study observed a significantly lower mean body-mass index in patients (19.4) than controls (22.7) and very low and comparable rates of metabolic syndrome (3.9% in patients, 7.8% in controls). Discussion: Economic affordability and lifestyles modified by living conditions were discussed as factors underlying the high rates of underweight in the patient population and low rates of metabolic disorders in all the study subjects. The study concluded that schizophrenia in the absence of antipsychotic drug treatment is not a factor contributing to high prevalence of metabolic abnormalities. Lifestyle factors and the social and economic circumstances that drive them should be considered for better understanding and management of excess weight gain and metabolic abnormalities in people with schizophrenia.
Relation
Schizophrenia Research Vol. 121, Issue 1-3, p. 199-202
Publisher Link
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2010.05.010
Date
2010
Publisher
Elsevier
Keyword(s)
Schizophrenia;  untreated;  obesity;  metabolic syndrome
Resource Type
journal article
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/926589
Identifier
ISSN:0920-9964
Reviewed
Reviewed
11 Visitors 12 Hits 0 Downloads
Save/E-mail Citation
Citation Format
E-mail Address
Subject
"Schizophrenia Research"
 
OR