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The age at onset of psychosis and tobacco use: a systematic meta-analysis

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

There is a well-established but poorly understood association between tobacco use and psychotic illness. The aim of this study was to determine whether tobacco use is associated with an earlier age at onset of psychotic illness.

Methods

Peer-reviewed publications in English reporting the age at onset of psychosis in tobacco-using and non-tobacco-using groups were located using searches of CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and ISI Web of Science, and were supplemented by papers located by manual searches and unpublished data obtained by correspondence with primary researchers. A total of 29 samples reported age at onset data in a consecutive series of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia related psychosis or first episode psychosis. Information on study design, study population and effect size was extracted independently by three authors. A random effects meta-analysis was performed.

Results

There was no significant difference between smokers and non-smokers in age at the onset of psychosis (standardized mean difference = −0.03).

Conclusion

Unlike cannabis use, tobacco use is not associated with an earlier onset of psychosis.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the following authors and their associates for providing unpublished data or other information about their studies: Dr Ilomaki (B.M.), Dr Kobayashi (PhD), Dr de Leon (M.D.), Dr Smith (PhD), Dr Wade (PhD), Professor Yildiz (M.D.), Dr Zammit (PhD), Professor Zhang (PhD).

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Coffs Harbour Health Campus, Pacific Hwy, Coffs Harbour, Australia

    Nicholas Myles & Hannah Newall

  2. School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Nicholas Myles, Hannah Newall, Jackie Curtis, Olav Nielssen & Matthew Large

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA

    Michael T. Compton

  4. Prince of Wales Hospital, High Street, Randwick, Sydney, Australia

    Jackie Curtis & Matthew Large

  5. St Vincent’s Hospital, Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia

    Olav Nielssen

  6. The Euroa Centre, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia

    Matthew Large

Authors
  1. Nicholas Myles
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  2. Hannah Newall
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  3. Michael T. Compton
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  4. Jackie Curtis
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  5. Olav Nielssen
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  6. Matthew Large
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthew Large.

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Myles, N., Newall, H., Compton, M.T. et al. The age at onset of psychosis and tobacco use: a systematic meta-analysis. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 47, 1243–1250 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-011-0431-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-011-0431-3

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