Diabetes mellitus in patients with schizophrenia in West-Bank, Palestine.
OBJECTIVE
The main aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with schizophrenia, to compare it with those published in the general population, and to assess significant associations with dysglycemia defined as having either pre-DM or DM.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study carried out in 4 governmental primary psychiatric healthcare centers in Northern West-Bank, Palestine. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured. The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for defining pre-DM and DM were used. Dysglycemia was defined as FBG >110mg/dl.


RESULTS
Based on WHO criteria, 27 patients (10.8%) had diabetes and 34 (13.6%) had pre-diabetes. The prevalence of DM in patients with schizophrenia was not significantly higher than that reported in the general population of Palestine. However, the prevalence of pre-DM was significantly higher than that reported in the general population of Palestine. Regression analysis showed that advancing age and abnormal waist circumference were significant predictors of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirmed the high prevalence of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia, supporting the need for monitoring of blood glucose in this category of patients. The presence of primary risk factors is more important in the development of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia than exposure to antipsychotic drugs.
College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Division of Pharmacy, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine. waleedsweileh@yahoo.com
Waleed M
WM
Sweileh
Salah A
SA
Dalal
Sa'ed H
SH
Zyoud
Samah W
SW
Al-Jabi
Iyad
I
Al-Ali
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose