Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in schizophrenic patients receiving second-generation antipsychotic agents--a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was taken up to assess the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in schizophrenic patients receiving second-generation antipsychotic agents and to determine the most sensitive and specific clinical parameters used for screening of metabolic syndrome in these patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was taken up in a tertiary care hospital. Eighty patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and receiving a single second-generation antipsychotic for 3 months or more were enrolled in the study after obtaining written informed consent. Patients were screened for metabolic syndrome using American Heart Association and National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (AHA NHLBI)-modified National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria.
RESULTS: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was found to be 35%. The clinical parameter with highest sensitivity for screening of metabolic syndrome is low-serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with a sensitivity of 89.28%. Elevated fasting blood glucose and increased waist circumference were found to have highest and equal specificity of 90.38%.
CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenic patients receiving second-generation antipsychotic agents. Increasing awareness of this fact among psychiatrists will help to prevent, detect, and treat this condition that is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality.