title: A predisposition for allergies predicts subsequent hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder: a nationwide longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown that both severe mental disorders (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) and atopic diseases were associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. However, the role of atopy/the predisposition for allergies in the development of metabolic syndrome is still unknown among those with severe mental disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, 5826 patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (1908 with a predisposition for allergies and 3918 without) were enrolled between 1998 and 2008. Those who developed hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or diabetes mellitus were identified during the follow-up to the end of 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A predisposition for allergies increased the risk of developing hypertension (HR: 1.67), dyslipidemia (HR: 1.82), and diabetes mellitus (HR: 1.37) in later life among those with severe mental disorders. A dose-dependent relationship was noted between having more atopic comorbidities and a greater likelihood of hypertension (1 atopic disease: HR: 1.60; ≧ 2 atopic comorbidities: HR: 1.87), dyslipidemia (HR: 1.73; HR: 2.12), and diabetes mellitus (HR: 1.26; HR: 1.69).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A predisposition for allergies was an independent risk factor for hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Further studies would be required to elucidate the underlying pathophysiology among atopy, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mu-Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Ta
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Yuan-Shan branch, Yi-Lan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hang-Tin
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Han
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzeng-Ji
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tai-Long
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: tomsu0402@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tung-Ping
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: ymbi@mail2000.com.tw.
authors.forename: Ya-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015984:Causality; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Atopy; Bipolar disorder; Diabetes mellitus; Dyslipidemia; Hypertension; Schizophrenia