Assessment of Metabolic Syndrome Component Changes in Patients with Schizophrenia Treated with Antipsychotics for 6 Months

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and investigate its components changes in individuals with schizophrenia using antipsychotic medication after a six-month period of treatment. Materials and Methods: 60 patients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV criteria and psychiatrist interview, were recruited from Tabriz Bozorgmehr clinic. Demographic variables such as age, gender, education level, occupation, marital status and smoking were studied. Patients were treated with antipsychotic agents. At the beginning of the study and at the end of six months of treatment with antipsychotic agents, 10cc blood samples were taken for fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL. Anthropometric measures including height , weight, waist circumference were assessed.The metabolic syndrome prevalence was identified based on NCEP ATPІІІ criteria .Results: The mean ± SD of the patients' age was 41.25 ± 7.58 years with median age of 42 years. This study found that metabolic syndrome was more prevalent among women than men(%58 vs. %18.8).Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia was %5 at baseline and %26.7 at the end of study (p.v=0.001).While all parameters of metabolic syndrome were elevated among subjects with schizophrenia , only the difference in waist circumference and HDL-C were statistically significant compared to baseline( pv=0.0005 , pv=0.0001).