Altered thermoregulation in ambulatory schizophrenia patients: a naturalistic study.
BACKGROUND
Schizophrenia patients may exhibit alterations in core/body temperature. Hence, we intended to examine the potential existence of thermoregulatory abnormalities in ambulatory schizophrenia patients.


METHODS
Anonymous electronic patient record data of the Leumit Health Fund (Israel) were screened for all schizophrenia patients who have no other apparent chronic co-morbidity (mental or non-mental) and had their oral temperature assessed during routine follow-ups (Schiz-rFUs) or for various transitory infectious/inflammatory processes (Schiz-Infect) during the years 1999-2005 (n = 535). The comparison group consisted of a comparable sample (n = 560) of healthy subjects (Control-rFUs and Control-Infect).


RESULTS
The sub-group of Schiz-rFUs (n = 216) exhibited significantly lower mean oral temperature compared to the matched group of Control-rFUs (n = 140) (36.72 +/- 0.54 vs. 36.94 +/- 0.64C, respectively; P<0.05). There was no significant difference in mean oral temperatures between the Schiz-Infect (n = 319) and the Control-Infect (n = 420) (37.32 +/- 0.92 vs. 37.28 +/- 0.98C, respectively; NS).


CONCLUSIONS
Ambulatory schizophrenia patients without a concomitant infectious/inflammatory process exhibit altered thermoregulation manifested by a substantial (about 0.2 C) and significantly lower oral temperature compared to healthy comparison subjects as well as a potential exaggerated increase in oral temperature during transitory infectious/inflammatory processes. The relevance of these phenomena to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia as well as the potential immune-mediated pathologies in schizophrenia merit further investigation.
Shiloh
Roni
R
Geha Mental Health Center, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petach-Tikva, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. ronishiloh@gmail.com
Weizman
Abraham
A
Stryjer
Rafael
R
Kahan
Natan
N
Waitman
Dan-Andrei
DA
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult