Age, mortality and chronic schizophrenia

Mortality data are presented from a 0 to 10 year follow-up of 636 chronic schizophrenic patients. Death ascertainment was made through a record-linkage process and comparisons made with the general population of the State of Iowa using sex and age standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). Risk for mortality was most pronounced among men younger than 40 and women younger than 70. No suicides occurred in chronic schizophrenic patients over age 40 years. The data demonstrate that patients at greatest risk for premature death are those younger than 40 years. Reasons for these findings are discussed.