Analysis of contributing factors for somatic diseases in hospitalized elderly schizophrenics

Abstract

Objective To investigate the characteristics of hospitalized elderly schizophrenia patients combined with somatic diseases. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on hospitalized elderly schizophrenia patients using a questionnaire developed by ourselves at three mental health centers in Shanghai.Gender, age, length of education, course of disease, somatic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, organic cerebral disease, and heart disease), antipsychotic medication as well as other relevant information were collected.Meanwhile, body mass index, body height and other relevant indexes were measured. Results Among 304 subjects, 176 (57.9%) were complicated with somatic diseases, including 120 (39.5%) with hyperlipidemia, 113 (37.2%) with hypertension and 78 (25.7%) with diabetes mellitus as the top three somatic diseases.Patients who were overweight or took atypical antipsychotics were more susceptible to somatic diseases (both P<0.05); female patients were more susceptible to heart disease and diabetes than male patients (P<0.05); patients aged 70 years and over were susceptible to hypertension and hyperlipidemia than those under 70 years old (P<0.05). Somatic diseases were related to age (over 70 years old), overweight and use of atypical antipsychotics in hospitalized elderly schizophrenia patients (P<0.05). Conclusions The incidence of somatic diseases in hospitalized elderly schizophrenia patients is relatively high, and the most common somatic diseases are hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus.Age, overweight and use of atypical antipsychotics are the influence factors for somatic diseases in these patients. Key words: Schizophrenia; Somatic diseases; Risk factors