Undiagnosed disease in decedents with and without schizophrenia: an autopsy-based case-control study

Abstract

Background

Individuals with schizophrenia (SCZ) suffer from higher morbidity and mortality than the general population. Some of this is due to concurrent somatic disease.

Aims

To identify and compare the somatic comorbidities antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM) in autopsied decedents with SCZ and with no mental illness (NMI), using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).

Materials

A total of 106 autopsied decedents with SCZ and 156 decedents with NMI were included. AM diagnoses were sampled from Danish national health registers. PM diagnoses were included from forensic autopsies. Negative binomial regression models were used to test associations between age, sex, SCZ diagnosis, manner of death and the CCI score both AM and PM.

Results

The CCI score increased significantly from AM to PM for both decedents with SCZ and NMI (SCZ, AM 0.669 vs PM 1.208, p = 0.008) (NMI, AM 0.519 vs PM 1.218, p = 0.000). Regression analysis showed that age was significantly associated with the CCI score both AM and PM (AM, OR 1.044 [1.029–1.060] p ≤ 0.001) (PM, OR 1.028 [1.015–1.041], p ≤ 0.001). A diagnosis of SCZ was correlated with the CCI score AM but not PM (AM, OR 1.880 [1.207–2.928], p = 0.005) (PM, OR 1.170 [0.828–1.654], p = 0.374).

Conclusion

The autopsies revealed undiagnosed diseases in both decedents with SCZ and NMI. The diseases were primarily of cardiovascular, pulmonary and gastrointestinal origin and may have contributed to premature mortality. Age was the only covariate significantly associated with the CCI score both AM and PM; the SCZ diagnosis was positively correlated to the CCI score before death.

Keywords:

• Comorbidity
• Charlson Comorbidity Index
• schizophrenia
• autopsy

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Oscar Emil Puntervold

Oscar Emil Puntervold, MD at Section of Forensic Pathology, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen

Line Kruckow

Line Kruckow, MD, and PhD student at Section of Forensic Pathology, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen.

Jytte Banner

Jytte Banner, professor and Chief Forensic Pathologist at Section of Forensic Pathology, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen.