title: Hyperlipidemia in patients with schizophrenia: a national population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to examine hyperlipidemia among Taiwanese patients with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We obtained a random sample of 766,427 subjects aged ≥18 years in 2005. Subjects with at least one primary diagnosis of schizophrenia and with a primary or secondary diagnosis of hyperlipidemia or medication for hyperlipidemia were identified. We compared the prevalence and incidence of hyperlipidemia in schizophrenic patients with the general population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of hyperlipidemia in patients with schizophrenia was higher than that in the general population (8.15% vs. 8.10%; odds ratio 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.31) in 2005. Compared with the general population, schizophrenic patients had a higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia in individuals aged <50 years, among those with higher insurance amount, and among persons living in northern and central regions and in urban areas. The average annual incidence of hyperlipidemia in schizophrenic patients with second-generation antipsychotic use from 2006 to 2008 was higher than that in the general population (1.57% vs. 1.29%; odds ratio 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.55).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with schizophrenia had a much higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia in young adulthood than that in the general population. Schizophrenic patients with second-generation antipsychotic exposure had a higher incidence of hyperlipidemia than individuals in the general population.
authors.affiliation: Chia-Yi Hospital, Department of Health, Chiayi, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jer-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: I-Chia
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Ching-Heng
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yiing-Jenq
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Pesus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult