Metabolic abnormality and sleep disturbance are associated with clinical severity of patients with schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenic patients suffer from more metabolic or sleep problems. Little is known about risk factors. We recruited 17 patients with chronic schizophrenia from the rehabilitation center in a medical center in Taiwan and measured their demographic data, cognitive performance, and physical fitness, metabolic profiles and sleep parameters. They were divided into two groups according to clinical severity, then compared in terms of metabolic and sleep parameters. Those with more severe symptomatology had more metabolic abnormality and shorter slow wave sleep (SWS). Our findings suggest clinical symptoms as linked with heavier body weight, wider neck circumference, elevated blood pressure, and shorter SWS. Further studies are warranted to confirm the preliminary finding and to elucidate the underlying mechanism.