Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among an Iranian cohort of inpatients with schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular disease is an important cause among natural causes of death in schizophrenic patients. The metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease. There are limited if any data on prevalence of MetS in Iranian patients with schizophrenia.


METHODS
Between December 2007 and May 2008, all consecutive patients with schizophrenia hospitalized at our university psychiatry hospital were entered in the study. The prevalence of MetS was evaluated based on the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III), the adapted ATP-III guidelines (ATP-III A), and the recently suggested criteria by International Diabetes Federation (IDF).


RESULTS
Of the study participants, 223 were men (59.9%) and 149 women (40.1%). Overall prevalence of the MetS according to the different definitions were 27.4% (ATP-III), 37.6% (ATP-III A), and 38.7% (IDF), which was over 30% more than the prevalence of MetS in the Iranian general population. The MetS was much more prevalent in women which mainly related to the fact that women had central obesity more frequently.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirm the high prevalence of MetS in schizophrenic patients. These results clearly suggest the necessity for a careful monitoring and management of metabolic risk factors in this high-risk population.
Rezaei
Omid
O
University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. dr.rezaei@uswr.ac.ir
Khodaie-Ardakani
Mohammad-Reza
MR
Mandegar
Mohammad Hossein
MH
Dogmehchi
Ensyeh
E
Goodarzynejad
Hamidreza
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents