Prevalence and risk profiles of metabolic abnormalities (PRIMA): a large-scale, multicenter cross-sectional study among inpatients with schizophrenia in China
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Metabolic abnormalities are prevalent among individuals with schizophrenia, contributing to increased medical burden and premature mortality. However, representative data from mainland China remain scarce, particularly within inpatient populations. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk profiles of metabolic abnormalities among inpatients with schizophrenia in mainland China. METHODS: We conducted a large-scale, multicenter cross-sectional study, consecutively enrolling adult inpatients with schizophrenia from 218 psychiatric and general hospitals across six major regions of China between January and December 2023. Metabolic abnormalities were defined according to standard clinical criteria for waist circumference, blood pressure, serum lipids, and fasting glucose. Chi-square tests and ordinal logistic regression analyses were used to identify high-risk profiles. RESULTS: A total of 18,499 valid cases were analyzed, with 84.51% of patients exhibiting at least one metabolic abnormality. The overall metabolic syndrome prevalence was 28.2%, with marked regional variation (17.2%–48.4%). Patients with metabolic abnormalities were more likely to have a later age at onset, co-occurring depressive symptoms, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, marital history or unemployment, lower educational attainment, and a family history of cardiometabolic disorders. Among commonly used atypical antipsychotics, olanzapine showed the strongest association with metabolic abnormalities (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.04–1.40), whereas ziprasidone showed the weakest (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.54–0.93). CONCLUSIONS: In China, hospitalized patients with schizophrenia exhibit a high prevalence of metabolic abnormalities. Social disadvantage, greater illness burden, and exposure to commonly prescribed atypical antipsychotics characterize high-risk profiles, informing efforts toward early identification and integrated preventive interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.
Source: BMC Psychiatry
Authors: Xuemei Liao, Liyun Zheng, Hongyi Li, Xiaobing Lu, Xixiang Mao, Ying Sun, Dongdong Qiao, Yanchi Zhang, Ning Yuan, Chao Li, Yuanjian Yang, Zhiyong Ren, Xiaohong Li, Baoliang Zhong, Gang Wu, Lina Wang, Yunshu Zhang, Jianliang Gao, Yujuan Ma, Yongqing Huang, Guangya Zhang, Yong Qin, Haihang Yu, Cheng Luo, Jiaqi Bao, Hongguang Chen, Tianmei Si
Institutions: Peking University, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Nanchang University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Brain Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Mental Health Center, Sixth Hospital of Changchun City, Hebei University, Second People Hospital of Hunan, Xian Mental Health Center, Capital Medical University, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Tianjin Anding Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Chongqing City Mental Health Center, Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Ningbo University, Kunming Medical University, China Pharmaceutical University
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,290
Award: G8823666664
OpenAlex ID: W7130655249