title: Aerobic capacity is associated with global functioning in people with schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although antipsychotic medications help manage clinical symptom severity, most people with schizophrenia continue to function poorly in the community.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score is associated with aerobic capacity in people with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four male (34.1 ± 12.0 years) and 16 female (33.1 ± 8.7 years) persons with schizophrenia performed the Astrand-Rhyming cycle ergometer test in order to estimate the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and were assessed with the GAF, the Psychosis Evaluation tool for Common use by Caregivers and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean GAF-score was 41.9 ± 9.4, while the mean estimated VO2max was 34.5 ± 8.7mlO2/min/kg. There was a moderate association between the GAF-score and VO2max (r = 0.45, p < 0.001). Positive, negative and cognitive symptoms were negatively (p < 0.05) associated with the GAF-score, physical activity participation positively (p < 0.05). A backward regression analysis demonstrated that VO2max explained 19.1% of the GAF-score variance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In people with schizophrenia, the aerobic capacity is associated with a person's global functioning. Clinicians should consider incorporating assessment of aerobic capacity into their test battery in order to measure the health consequences of schizophrenia and its treatment.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rehabilitation Sciences , KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium .|b Department of Neurosciences , UPC KU Leuven, Campus Kortenberg , Korteberg , Belgium .
authors.forename: Davy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vancampfort
authors.affiliation: b Department of Neurosciences , UPC KU Leuven, Campus Kortenberg , Korteberg , Belgium .
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guelinckx
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rehabilitation Sciences , KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium .|b Department of Neurosciences , UPC KU Leuven, Campus Kortenberg , Korteberg , Belgium .
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.affiliation: c School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales , Sydney , Australia .|d Schizophrenia Research Unit , South Western Sydney Local Health District , Liverpool , Australia .
authors.forename: Philip B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: c School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales , Sydney , Australia .|e Early Psychosis Programme, The Bondi Centre, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District , Llandaff St Bondi Junction , Australia .|f Musculoskeletal Division , The George Institute for Global Health and School of Public Health, University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia , and.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
authors.affiliation: g School of Health and Social Care, University of Greenwich , Eltham , London , UK.
authors.forename: Brendon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stubbs
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rehabilitation Sciences , KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium .
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Hert
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000332:Aerobiosis / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Global assessment of functioning; physical fitness; psychosis