The incidence and prevalence of diabetes in patients with serious mental illness in North West Wales: two cohorts, 1875-1924 & 1994-2006 compared.
BACKGROUND
Against a background of interest in rates of diabetes in schizophrenia and related psychoses and claims that data from historical periods demonstrate a link that antedates modern antipsychotics, we sought to establish the rate of diabetes in first onset psychosis and subsequent prevalence in historical and contemporary cohorts.


METHODS
Analysis of two epidemiologically complete databases of individuals admitted for mental illness. 3170 individuals admitted to the North Wales Asylum between 1875-1924 and tracked over 18,486 patient years and 394 North West Wales first admissions for schizophrenia and related psychoses between 1994 and 2006 and tracked after treatment.


RESULTS
The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among patients with psychoses at time of first admission in both historical and contemporary samples was 0%. The incidence of diabetes remained 0% in the historical sample throughout 15 years of follow-up but rose in the contemporary sample after 3, 5 and 6 years of treatment with an incidence rate double the expected population rate so that the 15 year prevalence is likely to be over 8%.


CONCLUSIONS
No association was found between diabetes and serious mental illness, but there may be an association between diabetes and treatment.
Le Noury
Joanna
J
Department of Psychological Medicine, Cardiff University, Bangor, Wales, LL57 2PW, UK. joanna.lenoury@nww-tr.wales.nhs.uk
Khan
Afshan
A
Harris
Margaret
M
Wong
Winnie
W
Williams
Dawn
D
Roberts
Tony
T
Tranter
Richard
R
Healy
David
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history*; D005260:Female; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology