Lijuan Huo1, Xiaobing Lu1, Fengchun Wu1, Xingbing Huang1, Yuping Ning2, Xiang Yang Zhang3. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, 510000, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, 510000, China. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, 510000, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510000, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, 510000, China. Electronic address: ningjeny@126.com. 3. CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, China. Electronic address: zhangxy@psych.ac.cn.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus has been found to be higher in patients with schizophrenia. Older patients are the fastest-growing segment of the schizophrenia population. However, few studies have explored diabetes in older patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of factors associated with diabetes in Chinese patients with late-life schizophrenia (LLS), which has not been reported in previous studies. METHODS: A total of 289 inpatients aged 60 or above who met the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia were recruited. The severity of psychopathology was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Diabetes was diagnosed by fasting blood glucose tests, or oral glucose tolerance tests. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of diabetes in LLS patients was 25.3%. The prevalence of diabetes in female patients was significantly higher than that in male patients (35% vs. 21.53%). Other factors associated with diabetes included higher BMI, greater waistline (only for males), higher levels of triglyceride, and more severe positive symptoms. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the prevalence of diabetes in LLS patients is similar to that in the age-matched general population. Female gender, excess weight and abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, and clinical symptoms can be potential risk factors of diabetes in the LLS patient group.
OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus has been found to be higher in patients with schizophrenia. Older patients are the fastest-growing segment of the schizophrenia population. However, few studies have explored diabetes in older patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of factors associated with diabetes in Chinese patients with late-life schizophrenia (LLS), which has not been reported in previous studies. METHODS: A total of 289 inpatients aged 60 or above who met the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia were recruited. The severity of psychopathology was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Diabetes was diagnosed by fasting blood glucose tests, or oral glucose tolerance tests. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of diabetes in LLSpatients was 25.3%. The prevalence of diabetes in female patients was significantly higher than that in male patients (35% vs. 21.53%). Other factors associated with diabetes included higher BMI, greater waistline (only for males), higher levels of triglyceride, and more severe positive symptoms. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the prevalence of diabetes in LLSpatients is similar to that in the age-matched general population. Female gender, excess weight and abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, and clinical symptoms can be potential risk factors of diabetes in the LLSpatient group.