AUTHOR=Efthymiou Dimitris , Zekakos Dimitrios X. , Papatriantafyllou Evangelia , Ziagkas Efthimis , Petrelis Alexandros N. , Vassilopoulou Emilia 

TITLE=Gait Alterations in the Prediction of Metabolic Syndrome in Patients With Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study With PODOSmart ® Insoles

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.756600

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2022.756600

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Background: Second-generation antipsychotics (APs) are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS), characterized by abnormal pro-inflammatory cytokine production and oxidative stress due to the reduced antioxidant systems, and neurological effects, including mobility impairment. This pilot study investigated relationships between inflammatory-metabolic biomarkers, MetS and gait alterations in patients with psychosis treated with APs.
Methods: Patients with psychosis treated with APs, 20 with MetS (MPS group) and 20 without MetS (PS group) were studied, usinganthropometric data, blood measurements and gait analysis performed with the PODOSmart ® gait analysis device.
Results and Discussion: The MPS group had significantly higher mean body mass index (BMI) and arterial blood pressure (BP) than the PS group. PODOSmart ® gait analysis recorded significant differences between groups in pronation-supination at Heel Off (HO), gaitline HO and gaitline Toe Off (TO). Multifactorial elastic net regression models demonstrated significant association with MetS of inflammatory markers, specific AP2 treatment, gender, age; BMI; BP and smoking (accuracy λ= 0.08), and in relation to gait parameters (accuracy λ=0.750), the three pronation- supination variables, i.e., at HO, flat foot in (AP2 related) and TO, and propulsion speed. The gait parameters were at the edges of the model, thus indicating a more significant role of these parameters compared to the other clinical variables.
Early diagnosis of MetS in patients with psychosis via identification of gait alterations can be a screening measure for serious cardiovascular complications related to psychosis and APs, to enable timely dietary intervention that can control the pro-inflammatory state and reduce oxidative stress.