Abstract
Background
Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder have a reduced life time expectancy with up to 20 years. Obesity and metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent and cardio vascular disease, CVD, remain the most common cause of the excess mortality. Despite studies showing the reduced life time expectancy and its causes the patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder yet remain to benefit of the development of the healthcare. In this study we aim to focus on how the weight changes in different age groups and when do the cluster of conditions of metabolic syndrome start to occur.
Methods
In this naturalistic study we follow 71 patients, 47 man and 24 women diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder. We divided the patients into 5 different groups based on age. Group 1 aged 20–30 years, Group 2 aged 31–40 years, Group 3 aged 41–50 years, group 4 aged 51–60 years and Group 5 aged 61 years and elder. The longest time of observation was 18 years. Data on weight (kg) and disorders such as diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia were collected at baseline and then yearly thereafter. Data from baseline and the last yearly follow up were included in this study. Weight and the presence of the cluster of conditions that make up metabolic syndrome in the above-mentioned groups were analyzed.
Results
Patients in group 1 make the highest gain of weight with 0, 9 kg per year and group 2 with the least gain of weight only 0, 01 kg per year. Patients in group 3 have a weight loss of 0, 2 kg per year. At endpoint 9 out 19 patients in group 3 and 11 out of 21 patients in group 4 were treated for one, two or three conditions of the metabolic syndrome.
Discussion
In our study we show that weight gain appears at least 10 years before the development of metabolic syndrome. Despite the loss of weight that appear in group 3 the negative effects of the weight gained a decade earlier may be a factor that make patients aged 41 years and older to be at risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
Subsyndromal and syndromal depressive symptoms among older adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorder: Prevalence and associated factors in a multicenter study