Individuals with schizophrenia have high levels of medical comorbidity and cardiovascular risk factors. The presence of 3 or more specific factors is indicative of metabolic syndrome, which is a significant influence upon future morbidity and mortality. We aimed to clarify the prevalence and predictors of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adults with schizophrenia and related disorders, accounting for subgroup differences. A PRISMA systematic search, appraisal, and meta-analysis were conducted of 126 analyses in 77 publications (n = 25,692). The overall rate of MetS was 32.5% (95% CI = 30.1%-35.0%), and there were only minor differences according to the different definitions of MetS, treatment setting (inpatient vs outpatient), by country of origin and no appreciable difference between males and females. Older age had a modest influence on the rate of MetS (adjusted R(2) = .20; P < .0001), but the strongest influence was of illness duration (adjusted R(2) = .35; P < .0001). At a study level, waist size was most useful in predicting high rate of MetS with a sensitivity of 79.4% and a specificity of 78.8%. Sensitivity and specificity of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high glucose and low high-density lipoprotein, and age (>38 y) are shown in supplementary appendix 2 online. Regarding prescribed antipsychotic medication, highest rates were seen in those prescribed clozapine (51.9%) and lowest rates of MetS in those who were unmedicated (20.2%). Present findings strongly support the notion that patients with schizophrenia should be considered a high-risk group. Patients with schizophrenia should receive regular monitoring and adequate treatment of cardio-metabolic risk factors.

The presence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. There are limited data on the prevalence of MetS in patients with schizophrenia at the onset of the disorder and specifically no data on patients treated in the era when only first-generation antipsychotics were available.Methods: Data from a historic cohort of consecutively admitted first-episode patients with schizophrenia treated with first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) were compared with an age and sex matched series of consecutive first-episode patients treated only with second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs). Rates of MetS were compared at baseline and after on average 3 years of treatment exposure.Results: At first episode there was no difference in the prevalence of MetS between the historic and the current cohort. Rates of MetS increased over time in both groups, but patients started on SGAs had a three times higher incidence rate of MetS (Odds Ratio 3.6, CI 1.7-7.5). The average increase in weight and body mass index was twice as high in patients started on SGA. The difference between the FGA and SGA group was no longer significant when patients started on clozapine and olanzapine were excluded. Conclusion:Rates of MetS at the first episode of schizophrenia today are not different from those of patients 15 to 20 years ago. This finding counters the notion that the high rates of metabolic abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia currently reported are mainly due to lifestyle changes over time in the general population. Some SGAs have a significantly more negative impact on the incidence of MetS compared to FGAs in first-episode patients.

Four of the evaluated guidelines are of good quality and should guide clinicians' screening and monitoring practices. Future guideline development could be improved by increasing its rigour and assuring user and patient involvement.

While preliminary data suggest the lowest weight gain potential with lurasidone and potentially relevant short-term metabolic effects for asenapine and iloperidone, data are still too sparse to comprehensively evaluate the metabolic safety of the newly approved SGAs. Therefore, there is a clear need for further controlled studies to evaluate whether these agents are less problematic regarding treatment-emergent weight gain and metabolic disturbances than other currently available antipsychotics.