Violence in a Finnish forensic psychiatric hospital

Background: Patients with schizophrenia have a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). High aerobic intensity training (HIT) improve peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak), net mechanical efficiency of walking and risk factors for CVD but has not been investigated in patients with schizophrenia. Aims: To investigate effects from HIT on VO_2peak, net mechanical efficiency of walking and risk factors for CVD in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: 25 inpatients (F20–29, ICD-10) were allocated to either HIT or playing computer games (CG), 3 days per week for 8 weeks. HIT consisted of 4 × 4-min intervals with 3-min break periods, at 85–95% and 70% of peak heart rate, respectively. Results: 12 and seven patients completed HIT and CG, respectively. The baseline VO_2peak in both groups combined (n = 19) was 36.8 ± 8.2 ml/kg/min and 3.12 ± 0.55 l/min. The HIT group improved VO_2peak by 12% from 3.17 ± 0.59 to 3.56 ± 0.68 l/min (P < 0.001), more than the CG group (P = 0.014). Net mechanical efficiency of walking improved by 12% in the HIT group from 19.8 ± 3.0% to 22.2 ± 4.5% (P = 0.005), more than the CG group (P = 0.031). The psychiatric symptoms, expressed as the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), did not improve in either group. Conclusions: VO_2peak and net mechanical efficiency of walking improved significantly by 8 weeks of HIT. HIT should be included in rehabilitation in order to improve physical capacity and contribute risk reduction of CVD.