Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40898392›Full record

ArticleEuropean psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists2025

Benzodiazepine use and multidimensional health burden in severe psychiatric disorders: Impaired quality of life, metabolic comorbidities, and adverse effects in a large cross-sectional study.

Vincent Achour, Mélanie Faugere, Eloïse Maakaron, Jonathan Gavat, Guillaume Fond, Christophe Lançon, Théo Korchia

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Vincent AchourDepartment of University Psychiatry, https://ror.org/002cp4060Sainte Marguerite University Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.ORCID 0009-0000-3743-8960
Mélanie FaugereDepartment of University Psychiatry, https://ror.org/002cp4060Sainte Marguerite University Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.ORCID 0000-0001-5567-8650
Eloïse MaakaronDepartment of University Psychiatry, https://ror.org/002cp4060Sainte Marguerite University Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.ORCID 0000-0003-2590-2927
Jonathan GavatDepartment of University Psychiatry, https://ror.org/002cp4060Sainte Marguerite University Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.ORCID 0009-0003-3998-5775
Guillaume FondDepartment of University Psychiatry, https://ror.org/002cp4060Sainte Marguerite University Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Christophe LançonDepartment of University Psychiatry, https://ror.org/002cp4060Sainte Marguerite University Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.
Théo KorchiaDepartment of University Psychiatry, https://ror.org/002cp4060Sainte Marguerite University Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.ORCID 0000-0002-6392-9322

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBenzodiazepines (BZ) are widely prescribed to patients with severe mental illnesses, yet their long-term impact on global health remains underinvestigated. While their symptomatic benefits are acknowledged, data on their associations with quality of life (QoL), metabolic comorbidities, and side effects are limited.

methodsIn this cross-sectional study, we analyzed clinical data from 1,248 patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), or major depressive disorder at a psychiatric center in Marseille, France. Associations between BZ use and key outcomes - including QoL (Short Form Health Survey [SF-36], EuroQol-5 Dimensions [EQ-5D], and Schizophrenia Quality of Life Questionnaire - 18 items [SQoL-18]), metabolic parameters, and treatment side effects (Udvalg for Kliniske Undersøgelser Side Effect Rating Scale [UKU scale]) - were examined using multivariate regression analyses.

resultsBZ use was significantly associated with lower QoL scores on physical and mental health domains of the SF-36 (

conclusionThese findings suggest that BZ use in severe psychiatric disorders may be linked to a substantial multidimensional health burden, including reduced QoL, greater side effect profile, and increased metabolic risk. These results highlight the need for evaluation of long-term BZ use and the promotion of safer alternative treatments.

Indexed as

BenzodiazepinesBipolar DisorderMajor Depressive DisorderQuality of LifeSchizophreniaAdultComorbidityCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFranceHumansMaleMetabolic DiseasesMetabolic SyndromeMiddle AgedBenzodiazepinesadverse effectsbenzodiazepinesquality of life

Identifiers

PMID40898392
PMCPMC12538170

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.