Basal Metabolic Rate Related to Metabolic and Clinical Features in Male Patients With First-Episode Psychosis

We investigated basal metabolic rate (BMR) in male patients with drug-naïve first-episode psychosis (FEP) in order to explore the hypothesis that a reduced BMR plays a role in severity of illness. The study was conducted with a total of 59 drug-naïve FEP patients, 41 of whom were severe and 18 nonsevere. BMR was measured using Body-Gem Analyzer 3.0 Metabolism Measurement Device indirect calorimetry. At the same time, the clinical characteristics and laboratory tests of the participants were measured. The patients were divided into two groups as severe and nonsevere according to the Clinical Global Impression-Severity. At the end of measurement, the BMR was compared between patients with severe and nonsevere illness. BMR of patients with severe illness was found to be statistically significantly lower than BMR of patients with nonsevere illness. Another finding of the study is that in patients with severe FEP we can expect BMR values below the cut-offvalue of 1,830 kcal/day. The study provides evidence that BMR is reduced with severity of illness in drug-naïve FEP patients. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2023;53(6):264–269.]