Original Research Article
Year: 2016 | Month: November | Volume: 6 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 189-197
Metabolic Syndrome among Patients with Schizophrenia Receiving Antipsychotics at Chitwan Medical College, Nepal
Kalpana Sharma1, Mamata Sharma1, Shailendra Adhikari2, Shankar Dhakal3, Bijay Aryal4
1Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Chitwan Medical College, Nepal
2Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Chitwan Medical College, Nepal
3Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedics, Bharatpur Hospital, Nepal
4Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Gandaki Medical College, Nepal
Corresponding Author: Kalpana Sharma
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Schizophrenia itself has been associated with an increased risk of cardio-metabolic morbidity and mortality. Treatment with antipsychotic agents has also been recognized as an additional risk factors of metabolic syndrome. This study was undertaken to find out the proportion of metabolic syndrome and factors associated with it among patients with schizophrenia receiving antipsychotics at Chitwan Medical College, Nepal.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 85 clinically diagnosed patients with schizophrenia who were receiving antipsychotics for at least 6 months from psychiatric outpatients department of Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital. Data were collected from October 2013 to December 2013 using semi-structured interview schedule, physiological measurement and record review. Obtained data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Metabolic syndrome was assessed according to International Federation of Diabetes (IFD) definition criteria based on gender specific.
Results: The overall metabolic syndrome among patients with schizophrenia was 24.7%. Metabolic syndrome was common in female compared to male (31.6% vs. 17.5%). On average, study patients had 1.69 ± 0.97 metabolic abnormalities. The most common metabolic abnormalities were central obesity or abnormal waist circumference (64.7%), elevated plasma fasting glucose (54.1%), hypertriglyceridemia (44.7%), and low HDL cholesterol (18.8%) while the least prevalent metabolic parameter was elevated blood pressure 4 (4.7%). Central obesity or abnormal waist circumference and reduced HDL cholesterol were significantly higher among male compared to female patients. Moreover, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only age and duration of treatment with antipsychotics were significant predictors of metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia.
Conclusion: Quarter of patients with schizophrenia receiving antipsychotics have metabolic syndrome and notable factors associated are increasing age and duration of treatment with antipsychotics. Therefore, proper monitoring of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors are needed for the betterment of patients.
Key words: Metabolic Syndrome, Schizophrenic patients.