People suffering from Severe Mental Illness (SMI) have a shorter life expectancy than general population. The excess of mortality may be primarily due to premature cardiovascular diseases. Subjects with a diagnosis of SMI may have an high prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS).

To estimate the risk of MetS among subjects with SMI compared to their counterpart without SMI.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of English and non-English articles using PubMed, Embase and PsycINFO was performed. ORs with related confidence intervals were used as association measures. All pooled analyses were based on random-effects models.

The pooled analysis showed a statistically significant association for MetS in people suffering from SMI. However, we found a consistent level of heterogeneity between the included studies. Subanalyses showed that both SCZ and BD had higher risk than general population without SMI. No statistical differences were found comparing SCZ and BD subjects.

People with SMI have significantly higher risk to having MetS than general population. Despite some limitations, the results of present meta-analysis emphasize the relevance of a continuous cardio-metabolic assessment in the SMI population. Longitudinal researches are needed in order to assess the impact of a regular cardiovascular screening, prevention and treatment on the improvement of health status and life expectancy among people suffering from SMI.