Comparative study of the characterization of cardiovascular risk, metabolic syndrome and mental illness in a Latin American population

Abstract

Introduction. Patients with severe mental illness (SMI) are more frequently affected by metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) than the general population, with a significant reduction in life expectancy. Methodology. To assess CVD risk, the same algorithm developed in the CUORE Project was used. Means and standard deviations were used to describe continuous variables, and counts and percentages were used for categorical variables. Mean levels of CVD risk factors were standardized by sex and age using the age structure of the general population, 35 to 69 years of age; the CVD risk score was logarithmically transformed and a multivariable linear regression was employed to estimate the mean proportions, adjusting for age and education with the SPSS 21 software. Results. 300 patients and 302 controls were included in the analysis. Among men, the 10-year risk score was very similar between SMI patients and the general population (mean ratio [OR]: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.77-1.37); a 39% increase in the 10-year CV risk was observed in women with SMI compared to the general population (MR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.16-1.66). Discussion. In this study, women with SMI were consistently at greater risk than their counterparts in the general population, even at a younger age. Conclusions. Based on the results found here, it is recommended to estimate the risk of CVD in patients with EMG.