Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in schizophrenic patients

الملخص EN

-Metabolic syndrome(MS) & other cardiovascular risk factors are highly prevalent in schizophrenic patients.

Patients are at risk for premature mortality & overall have limited access to physical health care.

To date there have been scarce studies that provide estimates of MS in schizophrenic patients in Iraq.

The aims of the study is to examine the prevalence of MS & related factors in schizophrenic patients.

By using a case-control design we recruited100 patients out of 118 with the DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia who were attending outpatient department of Al-Diwaniya Teaching Hospital during the period between1st March to 15th December 2013,.

The MS prevalence was assessed based on National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.

Comparative analysis was performed between patients & 100 participants as representative of general population.

the study revealed that the overall prevalence of MS in schizophrenic patients was (27%).

It is significantly higher with obesity, smoking, family history of obesity.

Waist circumference, low High Density Lipoprotein & raised blood pressure showing a significant difference between both groups.

The anti-psychotic medication having a high association with metabolic syndrome is Olanzapine.

Schizophrenic patients on antipsychotic medications had high prevalence of MS compared to the general population & this emphasize the need for regular monitoring of various metabolic parameters in patients on antipsychotics.