Schizophrenia is the second highest risk factor for Covid-19 death after old age, new research shows.
Mental health almost triples the risk of dying from Covid-19 compared to a healthy person between the ages of 18 and 44.
The only group of people at higher risk of death than those with schizophrenia are the elderly who, regardless of comorbidities, are much more likely to die.
Scientists do not yet fully understand why people with schizophrenia are at increased risk, but they believe it may be due to a genetic defect that inhibits their immune response.
People with schizophrenia tend to live, on average, up to two decades less than people without mental health problems and also suffer from increased illness due to lack of exercise, obesity, smoking and side effects of some drugs against schizophrenia.
Other conditions that have increased the risk of death include heart failure (60% increased risk), high blood pressure (38%) and diabetes (27%).
Men were 69 percent more at risk of death than women, and non-whites (blacks, Asians, mixed race) were 47 percent more at risk than whites.
Scroll down for the video
Mental health almost triples the risk of dying from Covid-19 compared to a healthy person between the ages of 18 and 44. Other conditions that have increased the risk of death include heart failure (60% increased risk), high blood pressure (38). percent) and diabetes (27 percent)
Researchers at New York University studied the anonymous health records of more than 7,000 patients hospitalized with Covid-19 between March and May 2020, 75 of whom were medically diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Mortality was defined as death or discharge from the hospice within 45 days after a positive coronavirus test result.
“Our findings illustrate that people with schizophrenia are extremely vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19,” says the study’s lead author, Dr. Katlyn Nemani.
“With this new agreement, healthcare providers can give higher priority to vaccine distribution, testing and healthcare for this group.”
Professor Shon Lewis of the University of Manchester, who was not involved in the study, said: “It is a good, robust study with important findings.
“We have known for some time that people with schizophrenia in the UK have a reduced life expectancy of 18-20 years compared to the general population.
“This terrible statistic is largely due to the high rate of cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic diseases resulting from lack of exercise, obesity, smoking and side effects of some drugs in people with schizophrenia.
“This latest discovery highlights how good preventive care must now be urgently focused on this incredibly vulnerable and disadvantaged population. They should be given priority immediately for vaccination.
The UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization has now given priority to all people over the age of 50, as well as health workers and the most clinically vulnerable, who are in the fourth priority area before those over 50 years of age. 65 years old.
This group includes people with “severe mental illness” who are not currently listed as extremely clinically vulnerable, people with this condition do not give any priority when it comes to the vaccine.
The most vulnerable clinical group includes chronic kidney disease and diabetes, which has a 1.23-fold to 1.27-fold increased risk of death from Covid. This is down from 2.67 for schizophrenia.
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Welfare said: “The list of conditions used to identify people who may be extremely vulnerable from a clinical point of view is agreed by the four chief medical officers in the UK and reflects the latest available evidence. .
NHS clinicians are able to add any patient to the list of protected patients, based on their own clinical judgment and an unbiased assessment of their needs.
The priority group for the clinically highly vulnerable vaccine includes people with chronic kidney disease and diabetes, who were shown to be 1.23 and 1.27 more at risk of death from Covid than a healthy person. This is reduced by 2.67 for schizophrenia (stock)
Dr Adrian James, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “The deadly consequences of Covid-19 on people living with schizophrenia are deeply worrying and should serve as a catalyst to ensure that this group of people at risk offers the vaccine at the earliest opportunity.
“Those who live in the community must be supported throughout the vaccination process, while those in mental health departments or residential settings must not be forgotten or left behind.
“People living with severe mental illness already die on average 20 years earlier than the general population. The government must do everything it can to protect people living with severe mental illness, intellectual disabilities and dementia from Covid-19.
While people with schizophrenia proved to be at a much higher risk of death, people with anxiety and mood disorders were not.
This, the researchers say, indicates that there may be an unknown underlying mechanism that puts people with schizophrenia at increased risk.
Dr. Nemani says this may be a disorder of the immune system, possibly related to the genetics of the disorder.
“Now that we have a better understanding of the disease, we can take a deeper look at what immune system problems could contribute to the high death rates seen in these patients with schizophrenia,” said study lead author Dr. Donald Goff of NYU Langone. . .
Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at Mind, said: “While we welcome research into the links between serious mental health issues and Covid19, much more robust research is needed worldwide, including in the UK.
Research that leads to improved health outcomes and the quality of life of people with mental health problems is welcome.
“It has never been more important for people with mental health problems to receive the support they need and deserve.
“Anyone with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who is worried about the impact that coronavirus could have on their health should talk to their doctor to examine their condition.
“In the UK, research has shown links between covid19 and factors such as poverty and ethnicity, so it is very important that all these links are better understood.
“In England, people with severe mental illness are 4.5 times more likely than average to die before the age of 75 in England if they do not receive the right support, so it is very important that we try to we understand the reasons behind these poor health outcomes.
The study was published today in JAMA Psychiatry.