@article{ref1,
title="Metabolic disturbance in first-episode schizophrenia",
journal="British journal of psychiatry. Supplement",
year="2004",
author="Thakore, Jogin H.",
volume="47",
number="",
pages="S76-79",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia shortens life, e.g. through suicide and obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is assumed that medications play a major role, but most of the evidence for this comes from studies poorly controlled for variables such as lifestyle and medication status. AIMS: To determine whether schizophrenia is associated (independently of medication) with the development of certain metabolic disturbances and whether these might be explained by stress axis dysfunction. METHOD: Literature review. RESULTS: Most studies did not control for confounding factors such as previous usage of medication, lifestyle, age and ethnicity. A few conducted in drug-naïve patients with first-episode schizophrenia appear to indicate that these patients have higher than expected rates of visceral obesity and impaired fasting glucose concentrations, which may be related to a subtle disturbance of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. CONCLUSIONS: Schizophrenia is independently associated with physical illnesses that have a metabolic signature. Therefore, patients need to have a thorough physical assessment at diagnosis and at regular intervals thereafter. Metabolic disturbances have been found in drug-naïve patients with first-episode illness and may be an inherent part of the illness.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0960-5371",
doi="10.1192/bjp.184.47.s76",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.184.47.s76"
}