Metabolic syndrome and schizophrenia from integrative medicine perspective

There has been a growing interest in the effect that comorbid schizophrenia and metabolic syndrome may have on each other.

To examine metabolic syndrome from integrative medicine point of view including prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with schiziphrenia compared to their first-degree relatives, healthy volunteers without schizophrenia in close family, and patients with PTSD, as well as the percentage patients with schizophrenia without any component of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome according to NCEP/ATP III criteria and number of its components were analysed in 205 patients with schizophrenia, 140 healthy volunteers and 105 patients with combat PTSD.

Metabolic syndrome was identified in 45.9% of the patients with schizophrenia, 38.1% of the war veterans with PTSD, 36.7% of the first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia and 16.2% of the healthy volunteers without schizophrenia in close family. Only 21.5% of the patients with schizophrenia were without any metabolic syndrome component.

The comorbidity of schizophrenia and metabolic syndrome is very important for theory and practice of integrative medicine. Almost 80% of the patients with schizophrenia have increased risk or developed cardiovascular disorders,.