(HealthDay)—Patients with Tourette syndrome (TS) or chronic tic disorder (CTD) have an increased risk for developing at least one metabolic or cardiovascular disorder, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in JAMA Neurology.
Gustaf Brander, from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and colleagues examined the risk for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders among individuals with TS or CTD during 40 years. Data were included for 7,804 individuals with a registered diagnosis of TS or CTD in specialist care within a cohort of 14,045,026 individuals.
The researchers found that compared with the general population, individuals with TS or CTD had a higher risk for any metabolic or cardiovascular disorders (hazard ratio adjusted by sex and birth year, 1.99); the risk was also increased compared with sibling controls (adjusted hazard ratio for any disorder, 1.37). Risks were increased for obesity, diabetes, and circulatory system diseases (adjusted hazard ratios, 2.76, 1.67, and 1.76, respectively). The risks were evident from childhood (significant difference by age 8 years) and were significantly reduced when individuals with comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were excluded (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.52). Patients with a longer duration of antipsychotic treatment (more than one year) had significantly lower risks for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders than those not taking antipsychotics.
“The results expand our understanding of the broader health consequences of TS and CTD and have direct clinical implications across health services,” the authors write.
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