The influence of comorbid disease on premature death due to natural and unnatural causes in persons with schizophrenia

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Background: Comorbid disease may increase mortality in persons with schizophrenia, but how specific diseases are associated with natural and unnatural death in different age groups is unclear. Aims: To investigate the association between eight major comorbid diseases and death from natural and unnatural causes in different age groups in persons with schizophrenia. Method: Retrospective register-based cohort study in 77,794 persons with schizophrenia in Denmark, 1977–2015. Using Cox regression in matched cohorts, we estimated hazard ratios for natural and unnatural death in three age groups (<55 years, 55–64 years, ≥65 years). Results: Hypertensive disease, atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, heart failure, type 2 diabetes, liver disease and chronic kidney disease were all strongly associated with natural death, with the strongest associations observed in persons <55 years (hazard ratio [HR] range 1.98–7.19). The strongest associations were observed for heart failure (HR 7.19, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 5.57–9.28; HR 4.56, CI 3.85–5.40; HR 2.83, CI 2.53–3.17), liver disease (HR 4.66, CI 3.59–6.05; HR 4.70, CI 3.55–6.22; HR 2.57, CI 1.98–3.34) and chronic kidney disease (HR 6.59, CI 1.66–26.1; HR 7.37, CI 3.03–17.9; HR 2.86, CI 1.84–4.46) for persons <55 years, 55–64 years and ≥65 years, respectively. Liver disease was strongly associated with unnatural death in persons <55 years (HR 5.42, CI 3.01–9.75); associations with the remaining comorbidities were weaker. Conclusions: Comorbid disease was strongly associated with natural death, with the strength of the associations decreasing with age. Comorbid disease was also modestly associated with unnatural death, regardless of age.

Original languageEnglish
JournalSchizophrenia Research
Volume257
Pages (from-to)27-33
ISSN0920-9964
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

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© 2023 The Authors

    Research areas

  • Comorbidity, Epidemiology, Mortality, Schizophrenia, Somatic

ID: 356037079