Schizophr Res. 2025 Dec 4;287:107-112. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2025.11.015. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Parental schizophrenia is associated with various adverse developmental outcomes in offspring, including neurodevelopmental impairments and elevated physical injury risks. However, limited evidence is available regarding the association between parental schizophrenia and fracture risk in offspring, particularly during adolescence-a developmental stage characterized by increased susceptibility to fractures. In this study, we investigated whether parental schizophrenia influences the risk of fractures in offspring.
METHODS: Relevant data were collected from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. This retrospective cohort study included 6518 offspring of individuals with schizophrenia and 65,180 age- and sex-matched children whose parents had no severe mental disorders. The cohort was followed from 1996 or birth until the end of 2011. Incident fractures during this period were identified. Cox proportional-hazards models, adjusted for demographic characteristics and psychiatric comorbidities in offspring, were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for fracture risk.
RESULTS: Compared with the offspring of individuals without schizophrenia, those of individuals with this condition had significantly increased risks of any fractures (HR: 1.10; 95 % CI: 1.03-1.18), skull fractures (HR: 1.38; 95 % CI: 1.13-1.68), lower limb fractures (HR: 1.15; 95 % CI: 1.03-1.28), and severe fractures requiring hospitalization (HR: 1.20; 95 % CI: 1.08-1.34). The increased fracture risk was particularly pronounced during adolescence (HR: 1.14; 95 % CI: 1.03-1.26).
CONCLUSION: The offspring of individuals with schizophrenia have an increased risk of fractures, particularly during adolescence. Early screening and targeted preventive strategies-including interventions for attention regulation and motor skill difficulties-are needed to reduce fracture risk in this vulnerable population.
PMID:41349381 | DOI:10.1016/j.schres.2025.11.015
