Research article

Bone mass in schizophrenia and normal populations across different decades of life

Jenn-Huei Renn^1,2 , Nan-Ping Yang^1,3 , Ching-Mo Chueh⁴ , Chih-Yuan Lin² , Tsuo-Hung Lan^5,6,7 and Pesus Chou¹

¹Community Medicine Research Center and Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, ROC

²Yuli Veterans Hospital, Veterans' Affairs Commission, Executive Yuan, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC

³Department of Geriatrics and Orthopedic Surgery, Tao-Yuan General Hospital, DOH, Executive Yuan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, ROC

⁴Department of Psychiatry, Kuang Tien General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC

⁵Department of Psychiatry, Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

⁶Department of Psychiatry, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

⁷Division of Mental Health & Substance Abuse, National Health Research Institute, Zhunan, Taiwan

author email corresponding author email

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2009, 10:1doi:10.1186/1471-2474-10-1

Published:	1 January 2009

Abstract

Background

Chronic schizophrenic patients have been reported as having higher osteoporosis prevalence. Survey the bone mass among schizophrenic patients and compare with that of the local community population and reported data of the same country to figure out the distribution of bone mass among schizophrenic patients.

Methods

965 schizophrenic patients aged 20 years and over in Yuli Veterans Hospital and 405 members aged 20 and over of the community living in the same town as the institute received bone mass examination by a heel qualitative ultrasound (QUS) device. Bone mass distribution was stratified to analyzed and compared with community population.

Results

Schizophrenic patients have lower bone mass while they are young. But aging effect on bone mass cannot be seen. Accelerated bone mass loss during menopausal transition was not observed in the female schizophrenic patients as in the subjects of the community female population.

Conclusion

Schizophrenic patients have lower bone mass than community population since they are young. Further study to investigate the pathophysiological process is necessary to delay or avoid the lower bone mass in schizophrenia patients.