POLYGENIC RISK FOR BODY MASS INDEX AND ANTIPSYCHOTIC-INDUCED METABOLIC SIDE EFFECTS INTERACT ON SEVERITY OF METABOLIC SYNDROME PHENOTYPES IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a severe condition characterized by a cluster of metabolic abnormalities, including obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high serum triglycerides and low serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Furthermore, MetS is associated with higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and development of chronic disease. Evidence reports that incidence of MetS is two-to-threefold higher in patients with Schizophrenia (SCZ) than in the general population, potentially accounting in part for the higher mortality and shorter life expectancy registered in patients with this disorder. Studies also report that high incidence of dysmetabolism in SCZ might be related both to genetic risk factors and to use of Antipsychotic (AP) medication, which are responsible for the so called “AP-induced Metabolic Syndrome” (AP-MetS). However, the interplay between genetic risk and AP type and dose with the severity of MetS is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate how polygenic risk, along with AP type and dose, contribute to severity of BMI and weight increase, two critical phenotypes of MetS, over three months of treatment with a stable dose of AP.