Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) can be directly measured and assessed by the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) or estimated from different field tests as the Modified Shuttle Walking Test (MSWT). The CRF in schizophrenia (SP) population may be altered due to sex, age, body composition and core symptoms variables. However, the extent to which each domain influences CRF in this pathology is still unknown.

To analyze the predictive value of body composition and core symptoms in SP for CRF.

Participants (N = 144, 41.7 ± 10.3 yr old) with SP were assessed with (1) body mass index and fat percentage; (2) upright bicycle ergometer using an incremental ramp protocol and the MSWT; and (3) positive and negative symptoms of the disease [“Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale” (PANSS) and “The Brief Negative Symptom Scale” (BNSS)]. In the Stepwise Multiple Regression analyses, those variables which correlated (Spearman’s Rho) significantly with each CFR scores were included

Lower negative symptoms (P<0.001) and positive PANSS (P=0.035) predicted V̇O2peak (L·min−1) (R2=28.3%). Lower negative symptoms (P<0.001), positive PANSS (P=0.006) and fat body mass (P<0.001) explained V̇O2peak (mL·kg−1·min−1) (R2=46.5%). MSWT was predicted (R2=58.9%) by lower negative symptoms (P=0.001), body mass (P<0.001) and total PANSS (P=0.004).

In patients with SP significantly higher CRF was detected in those with lower negative and positive symptoms, as well as lower body mass. Exercise interventions for improving CRF should be promoting in this population for a better control of core symptoms.

No significant relationships.