title: Schizophrenia, neuroleptic medication and mortality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is an excess of death from natural causes among people with schizophrenia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Schizophrenia and its treatment with neuroleptics were studied for their prediction of mortality in a representative population sample of 7217 Finns aged >/= 30 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive health examination was carried out at baseline. Schizophrenia was determined using the Present State Examination and previous medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a 17-year follow-up, 39 of the 99 people with schizophrenia died. Adjusted for age and gender, the relative mortality risk between those with schizophrenia and others was 2.84 (95% CI 2.06-3.90), and was 2.25 (95% CI1.61-3.15) after further adjusting for somatic diseases, bloodpressure, cholesterol, body mass index, smoking, exercise, alcohol intake and education. The number of neuroleptics used at the time of the baseline survey showed a graded relation to mortality. Adjusted for age, gender, somatic diseases and other potential risk factors for premature death, the relative risk was 2.50 (95% CI1.46-4.30) per increment of one neuroleptic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an urgent need to ascertain whether the high mortality in schizophrenia is attributable to the disorder itself or the antipsychotic medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Psychiatry, Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, FIN-33014, Finland. matti.joukamaa@uta.fi
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joukamaa
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heliövaara
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knekt
authors.forename: Arpo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aromaa
authors.forename: Raimo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raitasalo
authors.forename: Ville
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lehtinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019338:Polypharmacy; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL