title: Sociodemographic characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with severe mental disorders compared with the general population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the prevalence and distribution of cardiovascular risk factors in a group of patients with severe mental disorders compared with the general population and investigate if differences in sociodemographic background variables between groups were associated with differences in risk profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared data from the ongoing Ulleval 600 Study (205 pharmacologically stable outpatients with DSM-IV psychotic disorders) with data from the 2000-2001 Oslo Health Study (18,770 individuals from the general population of the same area). Subjects were stratified according to age and gender and compared for ethnic background, level of education, marital status, and prevalence of risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had an overall prevalence of smoking, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus about twice that of the reference group. Patients aged 18 through 50 years had the highest level of risk factors when compared with the general population. There was no major difference in ethnic background or educational level between cohorts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased cardiovascular risk profile in patients is particularly pronounced in young individuals and could not be explained by sociodemographic variables alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ulleval University Hospital and University of Oslo, Norway. a.b.birkenas@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Astrid B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Birkenaes
authors.forename: Anne J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Søgaard
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Engh
authors.forename: Halldora
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jonsdottir
authors.forename: P Andreas
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ringen
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaskinn
authors.forename: Svein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Friis
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sundet
authors.forename: Stein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Opjordsmoen
authors.forename: Ole A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Andreassen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology