Schizophrenics are THREE TIMES more likely to die from Covid-19

Schizophrenia is the second biggest risk factor for dying from Covid-19 after old age, new research shows.

Mental health almost triples the risk of dying from Covid-19 compared to a healthy person aged 18 to 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 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 issues and also suffer from increased illness due to lack of exercise, obesity , smoking and the side effects of certain schizophrenia medications.

Other conditions that increased the risk of death include heart failure (60% increased risk), high blood pressure (38%), and diabetes (27%).

Men were 69% more at risk of death than women, and non-whites (blacks, Asians, mixed race) were 47% more at risk than whites.

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Researchers at New York University studied the anonymous health records of more than 7,000 Covid-19 hospital patients between March and May 2020, of whom 75 had medically diagnosed schizophrenia.

Mortality was defined as death or referral to hospice within 45 days of a positive test result for the coronavirus.

“Our results show that people with schizophrenia are extremely vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19,” says lead author of the study, Dr. Katlyn Nemani.

“With this new understanding, healthcare providers can better prioritize vaccine distribution, testing and medical care for this group.

Professor Shon Lewis of the University of Manchester, who was not involved in the study, said: “This is a good, robust study with important results.

“We have known for some time that people with schizophrenia in the UK have a reduced life expectancy of 18 to 20 years compared to the general population.

“This terrible statistic is largely due to increased rates of cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic disease resulting from lack of exercise, obesity, smoking, and the side effects of certain medications in people with schizophrenia.

“This latest discovery highlights the extent to which preventive care must now be urgently focused on this incredibly vulnerable and disadvantaged population. They must be given immediate priority for vaccination ”.

Currently, the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization has prioritized all people over 50 for the vaccine, as well as healthcare workers and clinically extremely vulnerable people, who rank fourth priority in front of those over 65.

This group includes people with ‘severe mental illness’, which is currently not listed as clinically extremely vulnerable, as people with this illness have no priority to receive the vaccine.

The clinically extremely vulnerable group includes chronic kidney disease and diabetes, which confer a 1.23 and 1.27 times greater risk of death from Covid, respectively. This is overshadowed by the figure of 2.67 for schizophrenia.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Affairs said: ‘The list of conditions used to identify people who may be clinically extremely vulnerable is endorsed by the UK’s four chief medical officers and reflects the latest evidence available.

“NHS clinicians can add any patient to the list of protected patients, based on their own clinical judgment and an unbiased assessment of their needs.

Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: ‘The deadly consequences of Covid-19 on people with schizophrenia are deeply concerning and should serve as a catalyst to ensure that this group of people at risk are offered the vaccine at the first opportunity.

“Those who live in the community should be supported throughout the immunization process, while those in mental health services or residential facilities should not be forgotten or left behind.

“People with severe mental illness already die on average 20 years earlier than the general population. The government must do all it can to protect people with severe mental illness, developmental disabilities and dementia from Covid-19.

While people with schizophrenia are at a much higher risk of death, people with anxiety and mood disorders are not.

This, the researchers say, indicates that there may be an unknown underlying mechanism that puts people with schizophrenia at high risk.

Dr Nemani says it may be a disturbance in the immune system, possibly related to the genetics of the disease.

“ Now that we have a better understanding of the disease, we can take a more in-depth look at what, if any, problems with the immune system might be contributing to the high death rates seen in these patients with schizophrenia, ” says the lead author of the study, Dr. Donald Goff of NYU Langone. .

Stephen Buckley, Chief Information Officer at Mind, said: “While we welcome research on links between serious mental health issues and Covid19, much more solid research is needed around the world, including the Kingdom. -United.

“Research that leads to improved health and quality of life for people with mental health problems is welcome.

“Getting the support they need and deserve has never been more important for people with mental health challenges.

“ Anyone with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who is worried about the impact the coronavirus could have on their health should speak to their doctor to review their situation.

“In the UK, research has shown links between covid19 and factors such as poverty and ethnicity, so it’s really important that all of these links are better understood.

‘In England people living with severe mental illness are 4.5 times more likely than the average to die before reaching the age of 75 in England, if they don’t get the right support so it is very important to try to understand the reasons behind these poor health outcomes ”.

The study was published today in JAMA Psychiatry.