Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
Published on: August 18, 2020
Lung function and respiratory diseases in people with psychosis: population-based study
Krista Partti1, Tuula Vasankari2, Merja Kanervisto2
1Krista Partti, MD, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Finland; Tuula Vasankari, MD, PhD, Finnish Lung Health Association, Helsinki, Finland; Merja Kanervisto, PhD, School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland; Jonna Perälä, MD, PhD, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, and Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland; Samuli I. Saarni, MD, PhD, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Hospital District of Southwest Finland, Turku, Finland; Pekka Jousilahti, MD, PhD, Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; Jouko Lönnqvist, MD, PhD, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland; Jaana Suvisaari, MD, PhD, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, Finland krista.partti@thl.fi.
Background:
There is little information on lung function and respiratory diseases in people with psychosis.
Aims:
To compare the respiratory health of people with psychosis with that of the general population.
Method:
In a nationally representative sample of 8028 adult Finns, lung function was measured by spirometry. Information on respiratory diseases and symptoms was collected. Smoking was quantified with serum cotinine levels. Psychotic disorders were diagnosed utilising the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I) and medical records.
Results:
Participants with schizophrenia and other non-affective psychoses had significantly lower lung function values compared with the general population, and the association remained significant for schizophrenia after adjustment for smoking and other potential confounders. Schizophrenia was associated with increased odds of pneumonia (odds ratio (OR) = 4.9), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, OR = 4.2) and chronic bronchitis (OR = 3.8); and with high cotinine levels.
Conclusions:
Schizophrenia is associated with impaired lung function and increased risk for pneumonia, COPD and chronic bronchitis.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
Other Pulmonary Disorders
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
Factors Affecting Pulmonary Ventilation
Alveolar Surface Tension
The alveolar fluid lines the luminal surface of the alveoli and exerts a force called surface tension. This force is caused by the polar water molecules in the liquid being more strongly attracted to each...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-I: Introduction
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation

