Schizophrenia Could Increase the Risk for Type 2 Diabetes
A recent study examined the association between schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes, finding that schizophrenia was associated with elevated glucose levels, indicating an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.
Researchers performed a meta-analysis involving 16 case control-studies which examined glucose and insulin levels in individuals with first-episode schizophrenia who had not been treated with antipsychotics, and healthy participants.
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The standardized mean of fasting glucose levels, plasma glucose levels after an oral glucose tolerance test, fasting plasma insulin levels, insulin resistance, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were calculated, and compared between individuals who have not been prescribed antipsychotics and had first-episode schizophrenia, and healthy individuals. In addition, researchers performed a sensitivity analysis on body mass index, diet and exercise, race/ethnicity, and minimal antipsychotic exposure.
Overall, the meta-analysis involved 731 individuals with first episode schizophrenia and 614 healthy individuals. The researchers’ analysis showed that fasting plasma glucose levels were significantly higher in patients with first-episode schizophrenia than healthy individuals, and levels remained elevated when sensitivity analysis for diet and exercise, race/ethnicity, and minimal antipsychotic exposure were calculated, but not BMI.
Plasma glucose levels, fasting plasma insulin levels, and insulin resistance were also high in patients with first-episode schizophrenia than in healthy individuals.
However, researchers did not find any differences between HbA1c levels in individuals with first-episode schizophrenia and healthy participants.
“These findings show that glucose homeostasis is altered from illness onset in schizophrenia, indicating that patients are at increased risk of diabetes as a result,” the researchers concluded.
—Melissa Weiss
Reference:
Pillinger To, Beck K, Gobjila C, et al. Impaired glucose homeostasis in first-episode schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-anaylsis [published online January 11, 2017]. JAMA Psychiatry. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3803.