An-Najah Staff

Aims The main aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with schizophrenia, to compare it with those published in the general population, and to assess significant associations with dysglycemia defined as having either pre-DM or DM.
Methods A cross-sectional study carried out in 4 governmental primary psychiatric healthcare centers in Northern West-Bank, Palestine. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured. The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for defining pre-DM and DM were used. Dysglycemia was defined as FBG >110 mg/dl.
Results Based on WHO criteria, 27 patients (10.8%) had diabetes and 34 (13.6%) had pre-diabetes. The prevalence of DM in patients with schizophrenia was not significantly higher than that reported in the general population of Palestine. However, the prevalence of pre-DM was significantly higher than that reported in the general population of Palestine. Regression analysis showed that advancing age and abnormal waist circumference were significant predictors of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia.
Conclusions This study confirmed the high prevalence of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia, supporting the need for monitoring of blood glucose in this category of patients. The presence of primary risk factors is more important in the development of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia than exposure to antipsychotic drugs.  

Aims

The main aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with schizophrenia, to compare it with those published in the general population, and to assess significant associations with dysglycemia defined as having either pre-DM or DM.

Methods

A cross-sectional study carried out in 4 governmental primary psychiatric healthcare centers in Northern West-Bank, Palestine. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured. The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for defining pre-DM and DM were used. Dysglycemia was defined as FBG >110 mg/dl.

Results

Based on WHO criteria, 27 patients (10.8%) had diabetes and 34 (13.6%) had pre-diabetes. The prevalence of DM in patients with schizophrenia was not significantly higher than that reported in the general population of Palestine. However, the prevalence of pre-DM was significantly higher than that reported in the general population of Palestine. Regression analysis showed that advancing age and abnormal waist circumference were significant predictors of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia.

Conclusions

This study confirmed the high prevalence of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia, supporting the need for monitoring of blood glucose in this category of patients. The presence of primary risk factors is more important in the development of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia than exposure to antipsychotic drugs.

Background: In Arab and Muslim-dominated countries, spirituality and religiosity shape the belief and practices toward chronic illnesses. No previous studies were published to assess adherence to and satisfaction with antipsychotic medications in persons with schizophrenia in the Arab world. Objective: To assess medication adherence and treatment satisfaction with antipsychotics in a sample of Palestinian people with schizophrenia. Methodology: Medication adherence was assessed using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Treatment satisfaction was assessed using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM 1.4). Psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the expanded Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS-E). Data were entered and statistically analyzed using SPSS 16 for windows. Results: A convenience sample of 131 persons with schizophrenia was studied. Based on MMAS-8, 44 persons (33.6%) had a low rate, 58 (44.3%) had a medium rate and 29 (22.1%) had a high rate of adherence. Age was significantly correlated (P=0.028) with adherence score. However, variables like use of monotherapy or atypical or depot antipsychotics were not significantly associated with higher adherence. The means of satisfaction with regard to effectiveness, side effects, convenience and global satisfaction were 72.6 ± 20.5, 67.9 ± 31.47, 63.2 ± 14.3 and 63.1 ± 18.8 respectively. There was a significant difference in the means of effectiveness (P < 0.01), convenience (P < 0.01), global satisfaction (P < 0.01), but not side effects domains (P=0.1) among persons with different levels of adherence. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the means of positive symptom score (P < 0.01), manic (P < 0.01) and depression (P < 0.01) but not negative symptom score (P=0.4) among persons with different levels of adherence. Conclusions: Medication nonadherence was common and was associated with low treatment satisfaction scores and poor psychiatric scores. Medication related factors had insignificant effects on adherence scores

Background Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of the most dangerous cardiac risk factors and is associated with high mortality. Ethnic differences in metabolic syndrome (MS) criteria and prevalence rates have been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the MS prevalence among patients with schizophrenia in Palestine.
Methods We recruited 250 patients with schizophrenia from 4 psychiatric primary healthcare centers in Northern Palestine. The MS prevalence was assessed based on National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III Adapted criteria.
Results The overall MS prevalence was 43.6%, with 39% in male and 55.9% in female patients. On average, the study patients had 2.3 ± 1.3 metabolic abnormalities. Univariate analysis showed that MS was significantly higher with older age, female gender, longer duration of the illness, smoking, abdominal obesity, high systolic and diastolic blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL-C, and high fasting plasma glucose. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only systolic blood pressure, high triglycerides, high fasting plasma glucose, and low HDL-C were significant predictors of MS in schizophrenic patients.
Conclusions MS is common among Arab patients with schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia should receive regular monitoring and adequate treatment of cardio-metabolic risk factors.

Aims The main aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with schizophrenia, to compare it with those published in the general population, and to assess significant associations with dysglycemia defined as having either pre-DM or DM.
Methods
A cross-sectional study carried out in 4 governmental primary psychiatric healthcare centers in Northern West-Bank, Palestine. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured. The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for defining pre-DM and DM were used. Dysglycemia was defined as FBG >110mg/dl.
Results
Based on WHO criteria, 27 patients (10.8%) had diabetes and 34 (13.6%) had pre-diabetes. The prevalence of DM in patients with schizophrenia was not significantly higher than that reported in the general population of Palestine. However, the prevalence of pre-DM was significantly higher than that reported in the general population of Palestine. Regression analysis showed that advancing age and abnormal waist circumference were significant predictors of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia.
Conclusions
This study confirmed the high prevalence of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia, supporting the need for monitoring of blood glucose in this category of patients. The presence of primary risk factors is more important in the development of dysglycemia in patients with schizophrenia than exposure to antipsychotic drugs.