Azza Al-Mujalli

Metabolic abnormalities are common in patients maintained on antipsychotics. These abnormalities increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality in this population. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in subjects maintained on antipsychotics relative to controls in Qatar, and to assess the factors contributing to the development of MetS. A cross sectional design was used to collect data and fasting blood samples from subjects maintained on antipsychotics for at least six months (n = 112) and from a control group (n = 114). The groups were compared in regard to prevalence of MetS, and multiple regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors in each group. The two groups (antipsychotics vs. control) were similar in regard to age (35.73 ± 10.28 vs. 35.73 ± 8.16 years) and gender ratio. The MetS was higher among the subjects on antipsychotics, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Blood pressure (BP) was significantly higher in the antipsychotics group and BMI was the major risk factor to develop MetS in this group. The prevalence of MetS in both groups is high and mostly attributed to obesity and high BP. Public health interventions are needed to address this major health problem overall. Larger studies are needed to further assess the impact of antipsychotics and mental illness on the development of MetS.

Patients with schizophrenia are known to have higher rates of mortality and morbidity when compared to the general population. Suicidality is a major contributor to increased mortality. The International Suicide Prevention Trial (InterSePT) Scale for Suicidal Thinking (ISST) is a validated tool to assess current suicidal ideation in patients with schizophrenia. The aims of the study were to culturally adapt the Arabic translation of ISST and to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Arabic version of the ISST among patients with schizophrenia in Qatar. ISST was translated and adapted into formal Arabic using the back translation method. Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were randomly recruited from the department of Psychiatry, Rumailah Hospital, Doha, Qatar. Healthy controls were randomly recruited from two primary health care centers in Doha, Qatar. The Arabic version of Module B for suicidality in Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used as the gold standard to which the Arabic ISST was compared. The study sample (n = 199) was composed of 100 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (age 35.30 ± 10.04 years; M/F is 2/1) and 99 controls (age 33.98 ± 8.33 years; M/F is 2/3). The mean score on the ISST was 3.03 ± 4.75 vs. 0.47 ± 1.44 for the schizophrenia and control groups, respectively. Inter-rater reliability coefficient was 0.95, p > 0.001. The overall Cronbach’s alpha was 0.92. Principal Component Analysis produced 3 factors explaining a total of 73.8% of variance. This is the first study in the Arab countries to validate the Arabic version of the ISST. The psychometric properties indicate that the Arabic ISST is a valid tool to assess the severity of suicidal ideation in Arabic patients with schizophrenia.

In Qataris, a population characterized by a small size and a high rate of consanguinity, between two-thirds to three-quarters of adults are overweight or obese. We investigated the relevance of 23 obesity-related loci in the Qatari population. Eight-hundred-four individuals assessed to be third generation Qataris were included in the study and assigned to 3 groups according to their body mass index (BMI): 190 lean (BMI < 25 kg/m2); 131 overweight (25 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2) and 483 obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood and genotyped by TaqMan. Two loci significantly associated with obesity in Qataris: the TFAP2B variation (rs987237) (A allele versus G allele: chi-square = 10.3; P = 0.0013) and GNPDA2 variation (rs10938397) (A allele versus G allele: chi-square = 6.15; P = 0.013). The TFAP2B GG genotype negatively associated with obesity (OR = 0.21; P = 0.0031). Conversely, the GNDPA2 GG homozygous genotype associated with higher risk of obesity in subjects of age < 32 years (P = 0.0358). We showed a different genetic profile associated with obesity in the Qatari population compared to Western populations. Studying the genetic background of Qataris is of primary importance as the etiology of a given disease might be population-specific.