Prevalence and risk factors for metabolic syndrome in schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and bipolar disorder

Abstract

Background

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a risk for developing cardiovascular diseases and its prevalence is especially high in psychiatric patients. To date, there is limited data from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the prevalence of MetS. Therefore, we aimed to investigate its prevalence and possible risk factors in a large sample of psychiatric patients in the UAE.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Al-Ain Hospital, in Al-Ain City, UAE. We collected demographic and clinical data on patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and bipolar affective disorder in the period between January 2017 and December 2020. This included their secondary diagnosis (psychiatric or medical), vital signs (heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, Body Mass Index [BMI]), metabolic parameters (fasting blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoproteins), and prescribed medications. We used the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) criteria to diagnose MetS.

Results

We included 889 subjects and of these, 79.8% (N = 709) had a BMI ≥25 kg/m² and 9.8% (N = 87) had no abnormal metabolic parameters. Overall, 28.1% (N = 250) had MetS with no statistical difference between the three groups. Fasting blood glucose levels and abnormally elevated triglycerides were significant predictors for MetS.

Conclusion

Our study found that around one in three patients had MetS irrespective of the three diagnoses. Some variables were significant predictors for MetS. Our findings were consistent with other studies and warrant the need for regular screening and management of abnormal metabolic parameters.

KEY POINTS

• There is no statistical difference between schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder with regards to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.

• Fasting blood glucose levels and abnormally elevated triglycerides were significant predictors of metabolic syndrome.

• Screening of metabolic parameters is important as well as the careful tailoring of the choice of antipsychotics.

Keywords:

• Metabolic syndrome
• metabolic parameters
• schizophrenia
• bipolar disorder
• schizoaffective disorder

Author contributions

Conceptualisation: All authors. Literature search: HMA, KA, ES, and DAE. Data collection: HMA, AA, MG, AAlsaadi, AAlhassani, FM, MA, HA, MB, RA, and SA. Analysis: KA and HMA. Manuscript writing and editing: HMA and KA. Manuscript revision: ES and DAE. All authors have approved the final article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.