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. 2009 Sep-Oct;37(5):258-66.

[Somatotype and schizophrenia. A case-control study]

[Article in Spanish]
Affiliations
  • PMID: 19960384
Free article

[Somatotype and schizophrenia. A case-control study]

[Article in Spanish]
G Pailhez et al. Actas Esp Psiquiatr. 2009 Sep-Oct.
Free article

Abstract

Aims: To compare somatotypes of schizophrenic patients and healthy controls and to examine some associations between somatic (joint mobility, somatotype) and psychopathological (anxiety, clinical seriousness and schizophrenic types) features.

Methods: Thirty four in-patients with DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia assessed by SCID-I, aged 18 to 50 years, were recruited as cases. Thirty two subjects of a general non-clinical population were recruited as controls. Heath-Carter method and 5 questions to detect joint hypermobility were used to assess both somatotype and joint hypermobility. Trait anxiety (STAI) and BPRS were assessed at medical discharge.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences between mean somatotype groups (cases: 4(1/2) 5(1/2) 1(1/2); controls: 5 - 5 - 1(1/2)). Schizophrenic patients showed significantly more divergence among themselves in relationship to their own common mean [t = 1.98; gl = 64; p = 0.05] and accounted for more ectomorphic categories than the control group. Somatotype means of paranoid and disorganized types were significantly more homogeneous (with greater values of ectomorphism) than undifferentiated type [X2 = 6.61; gl = 2; p = 0.037]. There was a tendency towards positive association between anxiety - joint hypermobility and anxiety- ectomorphism, but it did not reach a statistically significant level.

Conclusions: In spite of their limitations, the results provide suggestive data for identification of subtypes in mental illnesses that can be used as a nosologic knowledge or as potential risk markers.

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