Objectives:Several studies have shown that schizophrenic patients have extremely high prevalence of smoking compared to those of other psychiatric disorders and general populations. The reasons are unknown, but numerous factors may be interrelated. The author's aim was to evaluate the relationship between smoking status and clinical characteristics of the chronic schizophrenic inpatients.
Methods:Twenty-nine smokers (male=24, female=5) were assessed of their clinical status using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Simpson-Angus Rating Scale for Extrapyramidal Side Effects (SAS) and the current Global Assessment of Functioning (cGAF). These and other clinical and demographic data were compared with those of 45 non-smoking schizophrenic patients (male=15, female=30) by independent t-tests and chi-square tests.
Results:There were no significant differences between smokers and non-smokers on the clinical variables such as the subtypes of schizophrenia, age of onset, duration of illness, dosages and classes of currently administered antipsychotics. Smokers had more favorable scores on the total score of PANSS, HAM-D and cGAF. Singles in the marital status are more often in smokers. When correcting the effect of marital status, duration of illness, and dosages of antipsychotics, there were significant main effects of smoking on the scores of PANSS total and the negative syndrome subscale. Compared to nonsmokers, smokers also had more alcohol-related problems previously and more current consumptions of caffeine.
Conclusions: These results suggest that nicotine may improve the psychopathology and level of functioning of chronic schizophrenic patients and that clinicians should be carefully examine the risk of alcohol and substance related problems in smoking schizophrenic patients. (Schizophrenia Clinics 2004;7:88-95) |
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