A cross-sectional study on metabolic similarities and differences between inpatients with schizophrenia and those with mood disorders

Background: One of the main causes of death in psychiatric patients is cardiovascular diseases which are closely related with lifestyle-related diseases. Psychiatric disorders include schizophrenia and mood disorders, whose symptoms and treatment medicines are different, suggesting that they might have different metabolic disorders. Thus, we studied the differences of lifestyle-related diseases between schizophrenia and mood disorders in Japan. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed from 2015 to 2017. Study participants were 189 hospitalized patients (144 schizophrenia group, 45 mood disorders group) in the department of psychiatry at Kohnodai hospital. We examined physical disorders, metabolic status of glucose and lipid, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and brain magnetic resonance imaging. We compared these data between inpatients with schizophrenia or mood disorders group and the standard. We quoted ‘The National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan 2015’ by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare as the standard. In comparisons between schizophrenia and mood disorders groups, we used analysis of covariance or logistic regression analysis. Results The ratio of silent brain infarction (SBI) and cerebral infarction were significantly high in both groups compared with the standard. Schizophrenia group showed significantly higher prevalence of diabetes, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterolemia, metabolic syndrome and smoking than the standard. Mood disorders group had significantly high prevalence of low HDL-cholesterolemia compared with the standard. Fasting blood glucose and HbA1c were significantly higher in schizophrenia group and female mood disorders group than the standard. Female mood disorders group had significantly decreased eGFR with increased ratio of eGFR < 60 ml/min than the standard. In comparison between both groups, eGFR and prevalence of smoking in mood disorders group were significantly lower than those in schizophrenia group by adjustment for age. Conclusions Participants of both groups had increased ratio of SBI and cerebral infarction, accompanied with glucose and lipid disorders. Distinct from schizophrenia group, mood disorders group showed significantly lower eGFR and prevalence of smoking.