Chronic kidney disease in adults with schizophrenia: A nationwide population-based study

Several studies have recently reported an association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and schizophrenia, yet this association has not been sufficiently established. The aim of this study was to examine the association between schizophrenia and CKD in a large dataset, as well as to assess the level of accessibility of these patients to common treatments for CKD.

Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 27,516) and an equal number of age and sex frequency-matched controls were included in this nationwide population-based study. Logistic regressions and ROC curves were employed to assess the association between schizophrenia and CKD and the level of fit of the models.

Schizophrenia was associated with CKD, after controlling for demographic, behavioral, and medical risk factors (OR = 1.62, CI 1.45-1.82, p < .0001). After adjusting for demographic and behavioral risk factors, CKD patients without schizophrenia were more likely to receive dialysis (OR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.18-2.44, p < .01) and kidney transplantation (OR = 5.43, 95% CI 2.84-10.38, p < .001) as compared to CKD patients with schizophrenia.

As CKD affects survival, quality of life, and medical and familial burden, additional thought should be given to detection of CKD, as well as to accessibility to treatment, among patients with schizophrenia.