Patients with serious psychiatric illness (SMI) have a reduced quality of life and life expectancy than the general population. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a clinical aspect determining who should be considered to reduce the risk of serious and chronic organic factors, even more significant in the elderly.

To evaluate metabolic screening of elderly patients with severe mental illness (SMI).

To evaluate the importance of routine screening of metabolic parameters in elderly guests of residential facilities with or without SMI; metabolic screening at baseline and after two of hospitalization.

Elderly inpatients (44 Tot) with Severe Mental Illness (SMI: bipolar disorder: 34%; schizophrenia: 46%; other: 20%) vs elderly inpatients (78 Tot). Data collected at baseline: psychiatric diagnosis; any previous diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia; ECG. At baseline and for two years were administered following scale: BPRS; PANSS; Qli; MMSE, ADL.

After two years metabolic screening has recorded at least one of the new interactions between the five factors of MS (ATP III) in 50% of patients with: one (34%); two (21%); three (11%); four (3%) new altered parameters. In MS inpatients, 53% of new metabolic alterations were recorded in 53% (MS inpatients) vs 23% without MS after two years.

Our results showed a higher frequency of MS in patients with SMI than comparison subjects. Haloperidol was the antipsychotic medication that caused minor impact on the development of metabolic disorders.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.