title: Quality of life and clinical characteristics in a nonselected sample of patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with schizophrenia experience low quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine QOL in these patients and the relation between QOL and illness duration, adjusted daily doses (ADDs) of antipsychotics, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and smoking.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this naturalistic, cross-sectional study, 82 patients were interviewed about smoking habits. Patients completed a QOL questionnaire (World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref) consisting of physical, psychological, social and environmental domains and had height, weight and waist circumference measured. The characteristics and QOL were correlated using multiple regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QOL was significantly lower in the patients than in the general population (p < .01). In first-ever diagnosed patients, QOL was associated with BMI (regression coefficient (RC): physical -0.73, psychological -1.44 and environmental -0.55; all p < .05), ADD (RC: physical 3.71, psychological 4.37 and environmental 2.94; all p < .10) and smoking (RC: physical -0.69; p < .01). In the long-term ill patients, QOL was associated with BMI (RC: physical -1.19 and psychological -1.28; all p < .05) and illness duration (RC: physical 1.38; p < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients experienced low QOL. Lower QOL was associated with high BMI, low ADD and smoking in first-ever diagnosed patients and with high BMI and short illness duration in long-term ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Psychiatric Disorders and Emergency Ward, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark clara.reece.medici@post.au.dk.
authors.forename: Clara R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Medici
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Psychiatric Disorders and Emergency Ward, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark.
authors.forename: Claus H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Vestergaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Psychiatric Disorders and Emergency Ward, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hjorth
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Psychiatric Disorders and Emergency Ward, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mette V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Psychiatric Disorders and Emergency Ward, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jan W D
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Shanmuganathan
authors.affiliation: Regional Psychiatric Services West, Herning, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Viuff
authors.affiliation: Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark.
authors.forename: Povl
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Munk-Jørgensen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012559:Schizophrenia; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: Schizophrenia; antipsychotic agents; body mass index; duration of illness; quality of life; smoking