Effects of hospitalization in a psychiatric ward on the body weight of Japanese patients with schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
In Japan, the prevalence of overweight/obesity in the general population is considerably lower and the mean duration of hospitalization of patients with schizophrenia is much longer than those in Europe and North America. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these differences in ethnics or healthcare systems influence the nutritional status of patients with schizophrenia.


METHODS
Body mass index (BMI) and blood biochemistry tests were determined at hospitalization and at discharge for 171 Japanese patients who were hospitalized for the treatment of acute phase schizophrenia.


RESULTS
For 56 patients who were overweight/obese at hospitalization, BMI (p < 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (p = 0.039), and low-density lipoprotein (p = 0.027) were significantly lower at discharge than at hospitalization. BMI at hospitalization, duration of hospitalization, and age were associated with a decrease in BMI during hospitalization. Among the 115 patients who were not overweight/obese at hospitalization, there were no changes in BMI and blood biochemistry tests between hospitalization and discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with inpatients, outpatients with schizophrenia may be more likely to be overweight/obese in Japan.
Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Japan. yutaro@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
Yutaro
Y
Suzuki
Takeaki
T
Mikami
Misuzu
M
Tajiri
Takuro
T
Kunizuka
Hiroko
H
Abe
Toshiyuki
T
Someya
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D015897:Comorbidity; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006753:Hospital Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010045:Outpatients; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL