Metabolic Syndrome in Patients With First-episode Schizophrenia

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is highly prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and is a major risk factor of type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and early death. Genetic factors, antipsychotic medication, sleeping disturbances and unhealthy lifestyle are possible causes of developing metabolic syndrome. Several studies have investigated the metabolic side-effects of antipsychotic medication. However it is still unanswered how unhealthy lifestyle, comprising physical inactivity, smoking, unhealthy dieting, and sleeping disturbances adds to the metabolic risk of patients with schizophrenia. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence and development of MetS in first-episode patients with schizophrenia and 1 year after onset of treatment. The study's main hypothesis is that physical inactivity, regardless of medication, is an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia. In comparison inpatients with major depression and healthy controls, both matched on gender, age and level of education will be included in the study. It is anticipated that the study's results will provide new knowledge about the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in first-episode schizophrenia and how different risk factors contribute to this.