Assessment of medical comorbidity in schizophrenia

Objective: This study aims to profile medical comorbidity in schizophrenia. It was planned to define if medical conditions differ with respect to sociodemographic data such as age, sex; clinical characteristics such as number and durations of clinical submissions, and medical institutions where patients were followed up psychiatrically or not. Method: The study includes patients with schizophrenia who were treated in Çukurova University Balcalı Hospital Psychiatry Department between 11.02.2015 – 30.10.2015 and Dr. Ekrem Tok Psychiatry Hospital between 05.06.2015 – 30.10.2015; including patients admitted to inpatient clinics. Interviews were conducted by one interviewer and took 30 to 45 minutes each. The sociodemographic data form, physical illnesses list and current physical illness lists were filled in by the interviewer in light of information declared by the patient. Results: Fivehundredthirtyseven patients were examined in this study. 219 patients (40.8%) of these patients were female; the remaining 318 (59.2%) were male. Average patient age was found to be 38.50 ±12.21. 495 patients (92.2%) had an accompanying medical condition. Most frequent illnesses were dental illnesses which were found in 458 patients (85.3%). Second most frequent condition is obesity with 170 patients (31.7%). Diabetes, found in 50 patients (9.3%) was third and hypertension and hyperlipidemia took fourth place, both being found in 39 patients (7.3%) each. Of the conditions encountered in the study, hypertension, epilepsy, thyroid patologies, heightened prolaktin levels, obesity and anemia were more frequent with women. Men were observed to be less careful about oral hygiene. Hypertension, coronary arterial disease, diabetes and ulcer were more frequent among married patients. Hypertension, coronary arterial disease, hyperlipidemia, COPD, diabetes, thyroid patologies, benign prostate hyperplasia are shown to increase in frequency with age. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes rates were higher among obese patients. Patients with epilepsy, cardiac arrhythmia and obesity were found to be less inclined to smoking. Cardiac arrhythmia was found to be more frequent among those patients who receive polypharmacy. Conclusion: Our findings show that most of the patients with schizophrenia have comorbid medical conditions. This trend is possibly more prominent considering lack of care towards general medical condition among patients with schizophrenia lead to at least some of the comorbid medical conditions escaping diagnosis. Noting that some illnesses are more frequent in patients with schizophrenia, it is suggested that comorbid medical conditions, which are one of the most important causes of death among patients with schizophrenia, should be more accurately diagnosed and better treated.