"The relationship of psychiatric disorders with death in Covid-19 patients" was investigated in America. The response of nearly 7,500 patients to treatment for 45 days was examined and mortality rates were evaluated. Of eligible patients with positive test results, 75 had a history of 1.0 percent schizophrenia spectrum disease, 564 had a history of 7.7 percent mood disorder, and 360 had a history of 4.9 percent anxiety disorder. Those diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder were associated with the risk of death, while those with mood and anxiety disorders were not associated with the risk of death. The study revealed that the probability of death from Covid-19 is 2.7 times higher in patients with schizophrenia.
Psychiatrist Recep Emre Tan, who made an assessment on the subject, said: "While the advanced age ranks first in the mortality rates due to Covid-19; Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, morbid obesity, and those with chronic diseases were the other groups. According to the research, the mortality rate from Covid in schizophrenic patients is approximately 3 times higher than those who do not have this disease. In fact, the life span of schizophrenics is 10-15 years shorter. These are also more likely to indicate other additional medical illnesses. In addition, there are immune regulation problems that we do not know exactly about the cause of schizophrenia, in other words, there are some problems in the immune systems, especially in T cells. A number of hypotheses are put forward that it causes problems in the irregular auto immune system and worsens the course of the disease.”
THERE IS 800 THOUSAND PATIENTS OF SCHISOPHRENIA; LIFE TIMES LESS THAN 15 YEARS
Tan stating that the incidence of schizophrenia in the world and Turkey is 0.8 to 1 percent, added: “Close to almost 800 thousand people together with Turkey's population is estimated to be schizophrenic patient. Not all of them are registered, they have not applied for treatment, not all of them are followed and monitored. Others are unaware of their situation and refuse.”
Pointing out that there are some hypotheses about schizophrenia patients' high risk of death from coronavirus, Tan said, “There are people who have a much better course, respond to treatment, can work, and unfortunately do not respond to any treatment; There are also people with schizophrenia who can live. The life expectancy in schizophrenia patients is 10-15 years or shorter. These are already more likely to indicate other additional medical diseases. They are relatively less likely to get treatment and continue treatment regularly.”
IMMUNE SYSTEM PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED
Psychiatrist Recep Emre Tan from Istanbul Gelisim University, who stated that schizophrenia patients could not reach treatment, could be slightly more affected by coronavirus because they could not get eating, drinking, housing and other social support, continued his words as follows:
“The cause of schizophrenia is immune regulation problems that we do not know exactly. There are some problems in the immune systems, especially T cells. Although it cannot be explained clearly; A number of hypotheses are put forward that Kovid's immune system is already impaired in patients with schizophrenia, causing serious problems in the irregular auto immune system and worsen the course of the disease.”
VACCINATION PROCESS CAN BE CHANGED
Expressing that it is started a strict vaccination efforts in Turkey and a privilege can be given to patients with schizophrenia, Tan said:
“Those over the age of 75 are in the first place in terms of death risk from Covid-19, while schizophrenia patients are in the second place. To prevent this, patients with schizophrenia must be included in the vaccination program. At the same time, special attention should be paid to protecting schizophrenia patients from this disease. In our country, there are many large psychiatric hospitals called depot hospitals. Most of the patients staying here for a long time are schizophrenic patients. These should be treated by knowing that they are in a slightly higher risk group. Preventive measures should be increased, taking this information into consideration when they are sick, treatment should be started much faster.”
OTHER PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS SHOULD NOT PANIC
Saying that the study does not make other psychiatric patients panic, Tan said: “In this study, patients with schizophrenia, mood disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and anxiety disorders are also screened. There is no difference in mortality in patients in this group. There is an anxiety, worry and discomfort caused by the pandemic on healthy people. These conditions recurred even more in our patients with psychiatric disorders. They mustn’t worry about themselves. It is not possible for the coronavirus to progress or increase the risk of death in all patients with psychiatric disorders.”
