Cardiovascular risk scores and vascular age before and after concurrent exercise training in adults with schizophrenia: CORTEX-SP study

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness “Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria del Insti-tuto de Salud Carlos III” Background Individuals with schizophrenia (SP) have a greater risk for cardiometabolic risk factors, cardiovascular diseases and mortality. This risky profile may be explained by the adverse effects of antipsychotic medications and an unhealthy lifestyle (i.e., low physical activity, smoking and poor diet). In the general population, physical activity has been shown to be the optimal strategy to improve both cardiometabolic parameters and cardiorespiratory fitness levels. These findings strongly suggest that targeting a comprehensive approach that includes non-pharmacological interventions, such as exercise and/or cognitive rehabilitation, could be effective and beneficial in the evolution of the disease. Purpose To estimate cardiovascular risk factors (CVR) and vascular age (VA) profiles before and after a concurrent exercise training intervention in adults with schizophrenia. Methods Participants (n=97, 20.4% women, 41.3±10.0 yr old) with SP had their CVR and VA determined using the SCORE2, relative risk and the Framingham method (FHS). The participants were randomly assigned into a control group (usual care) or a supervised exercise group (concurrent training, 3 days/week, 20-weeks). The variables for the CVR determination were: age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), total cholesterol (TC), non high-density lipoprotein (non HDL-C) cholesterol, HDL-C, diabetes mellitus, antihypertensive medication, and smoking status. Results At baseline, exercise group presented lower values (P<0.05) compared to control group in SBP (113.4 vs. 120.5 mmHg), whereas in the rest of the values no significant between-groups differences were found (P>0.05). In accordance with guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention, considering SCORE2, both groups were classified as low risk; but taking into account FHS and relative chart, were considered to have moderate risk. At follow-up, there was no overall change for either group and between groups in the magnitude of change in any of the studied variables. Conclusion(s) People with SP presented a moderate CVR. A comprehensive approach including not only exercise but also nutrition intervention could be more effective in managing CVR in this population.