T151. THE FINDINGS OF CAROTID AND CARDIAC ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN YOUNG SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS

BACKGROUND: Patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) are at high risk of cardiovascular disease before reaching geriatric age and tend to prematurely die from CVD. Data of the direct measurement of cardiac function in patients with SCZ before middle age remain limited. We attempt to compare the results of carotid and cardiac ultrasonography of young schizophrenic patients with those of mentally healthy adults. METHODS: We recruited 27 physically healthy adults with schizophrenia (DSM-IV) aged less than 45 years and 27 age-matched controls to undergo the carotid and cardiac ultrasound echo-color Doppler to obtain the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT, to detect the presence and extent of atherosclerosis in an artery) and cardiac function. Blood pressure, body mass index, and clinical information were also obtained. RESULTS: Among the echocardiography parameters, SCZ patients had significantly higher heart rate (p< 0.005) and ejection fraction (EF, parameter of pumping ability of the heart) (p<0.001), and lower right ventricular diastolic pressure (RVSP, equaling the pulmonary artery pressure) (p<0.05) and pulse pressure (the systolic minus the diastolic pressure, predicting the risk of CVD) (p<0.01) than those of control subjects. The mean CPZ equivalent of second generation antipsychotics (SGA) taken by SCZ patients was significantly positively correlated to the RVSP (γ= 0.046, p=0.029). There were no differences in body mass index, cIMT, and other echocardiography parameters between these two groups. DISCUSSION: Higher heart rate and EF may reflect the autonomic over-activity in SCZ patients. Contrary to our hypothesis, the risk of pre-clinical cardiac dysfunction and vascular atherosclerosis is not elevated in SCZ patients before midlife. However, higher dosage of SGA may increase the risk of pulmonary hypertension.