A retrospective database study on 2-year weight trajectories in first-episode psychosis

It is critical to focus on individual weight profiles in line with efforts to tailor treatment, given the heterogeneous nature of the clinical population. This study aims to identify and describe possible two-year weight trajectories among patients accepted to the Early Psychosis Intervention Programme (EPIP) in Singapore.

De-identified data was extracted from EPIP's standing database for patients accepted from 2014 to 2018 with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Data collected at fixed time-points (baseline, 1-year, and 2-year) included anthropometric measures (height and weight), and sociodemographic (age, sex, highest education level, and vocational status) and clinical (duration of untreated psychosis, number of inpatient admissions, and scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Global Assessment of Functioning) information.

A total of 391 complete data sets were included for main analyses. Those with missing weight data were more likely to be males, older at baseline, have a highest education level of tertiary and above at baseline, and have a longer duration of untreated psychosis. The weight change across two years resulted in the following membership breakdown: 151 (38.6%) in super high risk; 133 (34.0%) in high risk mitigated; 17 (4.3%) in at risk; 34 (8.8%) in delayed risk; and 56 (14.4%) in low risk.

The lack of pharmacological, dietary, and physical activity data is a significant limitation in this study; however, the results reinforce the justification for future studies to prospectively capture and examine the influence of these data, with the aim of early detection and weight intervention for high risk groups.