title: Survey of diurnal weight gain and urine volume in chronic schizophrenia.
abstract: We found diurnal weight gain to be abnormal among 39 chronic schizophrenic patients. The patients were weighed and urine samples obtained weekly for three weeks at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. We normalized the dirunal weight gain (NDWG) as a percentage by subtracting the 7 a.m. weight from the 4 p.m. weight, multiplying the difference by 100, and then dividing the result by the 7 a.m. weight. NDWG was 2.075 +/- 1.331% for the 38 study patients, .631 +/- .405% for 16 acutely psychotic controls and .511 +/- .351% for 29 normals. Seventy-seven percent of the study patients had abnormal NDWG values and 62% were polyuric. NDWG related to urine volume (n = 39, r = .356, p = .026) with the variability in urine excretion explaining 13% of the variability in NDWG. We discuss factors that may have contributed to our findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health and Mental State Hospital, Staunton, VA 24401.
authors.forename: W V
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Vieweg
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Godleski
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hundley
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Yank
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004326:Drinking; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000503:physiopathology; D011141:Polyuria / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D014563:Urodynamics; D014869:Water Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015430:Weight Gain