Patients with schizophrenia have decreased COVID-19 prevalence among hospitalised patients with psychiatric and neurological diseases: A retrospective analysis in Mexican population

Background: Increased coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence and mortality in hospitalised patients with psychiatric and neurologic disorders have been reported. Methods: The clinical records of 198 patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders hospitalised in the Dr Rafael Serrano Psychiatric Hospital in Puebla during the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico were analysed for psychiatric or neurologic diagnosis, gender, age, medical diagnosis, and COVID-19 prevalence. For patients with COVID-19, the effects of gender, and medical diagnosis were explored. Results: There was an increased COVID-19 prevalence in the studied population (43.94%), compared with the national Mexican (similar to 0.21% to 0.63%) and worldwide average in the general population (similar to 0.13% to 4.28%). However, the mortality rate (5.75%) was lower than that reported in Mexico (11.28%-13.55%), which was higher than the worldwide average (2.95%-4.98%). We detected increased COVID-19 prevalence in patients with comorbidities (odds ratios [OR] 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2-1, P = .0447). Moreover, patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders have a decreased predisposition to COVID-19 (OR 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.8; P = .0250), as opposed to patients with intellectual disability that are predisposed to COVID-19 (OR 2.2, 95% CI: 0.2-0.8; P = .0434), in comparison with the rest of the hospital population. Conclusion: The prevalence of COVID-19 in hospitalised patients with psychiatric disorders is increased compared with that of the general population; however, a lower mortality rate was detected. Also, an increased risk of COVID-19 was detected in patients with comorbidities. Interestingly, the observed variation in COVID-19 prevalence in patients with schizophrenia and intellectual disability was not associated with age or other specific medical diagnoses.

Automated summary

The study revealed that hospitalized patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders have a higher prevalence of COVID-19 compared to the general population, but a lower mortality rate. Patients with comorbidities are at a higher risk of COVID-19, while those with schizophrenia have a decreased susceptibility.