@article{ref1,
title="Violence in male patients with schizophrenia: risk markers in a South African population",
journal="Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry",
year="2004",
author="Koen, L. and Kinnear, C. J. and Corfield, V. A. and Emsley, R. A. and Jordaan, E. and Keyter, N. and Moolman-Smook, J. C. and Stein, Dan J. and Niehaus, Dana J. H.",
volume="38",
number="4",
pages="254-259",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: We investigate the role of functional variants in the catecholamine-O-methyl transferase gene (COMT) and the monoamine oxidase-A gene (MOA-A), as well as previously identified non-genetic risk factors in the manifestation of violent behaviour in South African male schizophrenia patients. METHOD: A cohort of 70 acutely relapsed male schizophrenia patients was stratified into violent and non-violent subsets, based on the presence or absence of previous or current violent behaviour. Standardized violence rating scales were also applied and the COMT/NlaIII and MAO-A promoter region variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphisms were genotyped. RESULTS: A multiple logistic regression model based on the clinical, genetic and socio-demographic variables indicated that delusions of control (OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.21-11.61) and the combined use of cannabis and alcohol (OR = 6.89, 95% CI = 1.28-37.05) were two significant predictors of violent behaviour in this schizophrenia population. No association was found between the tested polymorphisms and violent behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Although the sample size may have limited power to exclude a minor role for these specific gene variants, such a small contribution would have limited clinical relevance given the strong significance of the non-genetic markers. These findings suggest that currently proactive management of violent behaviour in this schizophrenia population should continue to be based on clinical predictors of violence.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0004-8674",
doi="10.1111/j.1440-1614.2004.01338.x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1614.2004.01338.x"
}