Dyslipidaemia and Medical Outcome (Health Related Quality of Life) in Patients with Schizophrenia Taking Antipsychotics in Enugu, Nigeria

Aim. Determine association between use (and type) of antipsychotics and dyslipidaemia in newly diagnosed schizophrenia patients attending Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu. Methods. From sixty antipsychotic naive patients with schizophrenia and sixty first-degree relatives matched for gender and age, fasting blood lipid profiles were measured at baseline and after twelve weeks. Medical Outcome Study Short Form General Health Survey was administered to patients on both occasions. Fasting lipid profile changes of both groups were compared. Results. Mean endpoint of total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LD), and triglycerides (TG) in mmol/l for cases was significantly higher than initial values (TC 4.5 versus 4.3, t = 4.3, p < 0.0001), (LDL 2.8 versus 2.6, t = 14.3, p < 0.0001), and (TG 1.3 versus 1.0, t = 12.1, p < 0.0001). Mean endpoint of high density lipoprotein (HDL) in mmol/l for cases was significantly lower than initial values (1.1 versus 1.2, t = 12.1, p < 0.0001). Prevalence of dyslipidaemia for cases was 13%. Mean endpoint of TC, LDL, TG, and HDL in mmol/l for controls was not significantly different from initial values (TC 4.30 versus 4.27, t = 1.09, p = 0.279), (LDL 2.49 versus 2.46, t = 1.28, p = 0.205), (TG 0.96 versus 0.94, t = 1.27, p = 0.207), and (HDL 1.37 versus 1.38, t = 1.61, p = 0.113). Subjects on atypical antipsychotics had higher risk for dyslipidaemia. Conclusion. Use of antipsychotics was significantly associated with dyslipidaemia.