Bone mass in schizophrenia and normal populations across different decades of life.
BACKGROUND
Chronic schizophrenic patients have been reported as having higher osteoporosis prevalence. Survey the bone mass among schizophrenic patients and compare with that of the local community population and reported data of the same country to figure out the distribution of bone mass among schizophrenic patients.


METHODS
965 schizophrenic patients aged 20 years and over in Yuli Veterans Hospital and 405 members aged 20 and over of the community living in the same town as the institute received bone mass examination by a heel qualitative ultrasound (QUS) device. Bone mass distribution was stratified to analyzed and compared with community population.


RESULTS
Schizophrenic patients have lower bone mass while they are young. But aging effect on bone mass cannot be seen. Accelerated bone mass loss during menopausal transition was not observed in the female schizophrenic patients as in the subjects of the community female population.


CONCLUSIONS
Schizophrenic patients have lower bone mass than community population since they are young. Further study to investigate the pathophysiological process is necessary to delay or avoid the lower bone mass in schizophrenia patients.
Renn
Jenn-Huei
JH
Community Medicine Research Center and Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, ROC. johnrenn@ms13.hinet.net
Yang
Nan-Ping
NP
Chueh
Ching-Mo
CM
Lin
Chih-Yuan
CY
Lan
Tsuo-Hung
TH
Chou
Pesus
P
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult