Metabolic syndrome in drug-naïve and drug-free patients with schizophrenia and in their siblings.

Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that metabolic disturbances in people with schizophrenia exist as a part of the schizophrenic syndrome, even when the antipsychotic drug effect is eliminated. We aimed to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among patients with schizophrenia who were antipsychotic drug-naive or drug-free and their siblings for comparison with healthy controls.

Methods: One-hundred-two patients with schizophrenia (drug-naïve or drug-free), 64 siblings and 70 age-matched healthy subjects were recruited for this case-control study.