1Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100096, China
2Centre for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
3Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
4Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

Abstract 

Schizophrenia is associated with a high prevalence of cigarette-smoking and abnormal lipid profiles. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the profiles differ between schizophrenic smokers and non-smokers and whether the lipid profiles are related to psychopathological symptoms. Serum lipid profiles were measured in 130 male inpatients with DSM-IV-defined schizophrenia: 104 smokers and 26 non-smokers. Symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Our results showed that positive PANSS symptoms were fewer in smokers than in non-smokers, while the negative symptoms were fewer in those who smoked more cigarettes. Total protein and globulin levels were significantly lower in the smokers than in the non-smokers. However, there was no significant difference in total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, or apolipoprotein B between the smokers and non-smokers. However, the PANSS positive subscale had a significant negative correlation with the HDL-c levels (a protective factor) in the smokers but not in the non-smokers. Our findings suggest that schizophrenic patients who smoke have fewer psychotic symptoms, but contrary to expectation, smoking does not alter lipid profile levels.

Keywords

Schizophrenia; Nicotine; Cigarette smoking; Lipid profiles; Symptoms

[SpringerLink]