Abstract:

Objective To investigate the current situation and correlation of metabolic characteristics and quality of life (QOL) in patients with schizophrenia by assessing metabolic indexes and QOL. Methods One hundred and seventy-four patients were assigned according to the diagnoses of non-metabolic syndrome (Non-MS group), high-risk-metabolic syndrome (HR-MS group), and metabolic syndrome (MS group). The correlations between metabolic indexes (body mass index, mean arterial pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, and fasting blood glucose) and the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) score were analyzed. Results The differences in the WHOQOL-BREF score among groups were statistically significant (F=5.903，P=0.000). Post-Hoc test showed that the WHOQOL-BREF score was lower in the Non-MS group than in the HR-MS group and the MS group (P=0.009, P=0.002). The difference in the WHOQOL-BREF score between the HR-MS group and the MS group was not statistically significant (P=0.153). The mean arterial pressure and fasting blood glucose were negatively and linearly correlated to the WHOQOL-BREF score (r=-0.183，P=0.015；r=-0.168， P=0.026).  Conclusion The abnormality of any one of metabolic indexes can cause synergistic changes in associated metabolic indexes with decreased QOL in patients with schizophrenia. The effects of diabetes and hypertension on QOL of patients are more significant as compared with obesity and hyperlipemia.

Key words: schizophrenia, metabolic syndrome, quality of life, community