Physical activity as a vital sign in patients with schizophrenia: Evidence and clinical recommendations

Aim: This study investigated whether in patients with schizophrenia the Physical Activity Vital Sign (PAVS) assessment can identify those at higher risk of cardio-metabolic abnormalities. Methods: One hundred patients with schizophrenia completed the PAVS-questions exploring whether they adhered to the general physical activity recommendations, underwent a full-fasting metabolic screening, and performed a six-minute walk test (6MWT). Results: Those who do not adhere to the health recommendations according to the PAVS (n = 61) were significantly older (37.1 ± 11.3 versus 32.5 ± 8.5 years, P = 0.033) and more likely to be women (30/36 versus 31/64, P < 0.001). Patients who do not meet the physical activity recommendations have a higher BMI (27.0 ± 6.4 versus 23.3 ± 3.1, P = 0.017) performed worse on the 6MWT (531.1 ± 84.2 m versus 657.0 ± 98.2 m, P < 0.001) and are at a significantly higher risk for cardio-metabolic diseases. Relative risks ranged from 1.07 (0.84-1.36) for having dyslipidemia to 4.65 (1.77-12.17) for having hypertension. Conclusions: PAVS-baseline assessment should be included in the routine assessment of people with schizophrenia.