The Journal of clinical psychiatry
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We conducted a retrospective epidemiologic study assessing the incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus presenting as diabetic ketoacidosis in patients with schizophrenic disorders (ICD-9 295.0-295.9; referred to as "schizophrenia patients" hereafter) treated with atypical antipsychotic agents. ⋯ The incidence of diabetes mellitus presenting as diabetic ketoacidosis in schizophrenia patients is higher than in the general hospital population and differs across atypical antipsychotic agents. Elevated HgbA1c levels observed suggests that patients had undiagnosed diabetes mellitus for at least several weeks before the diabetic ketoacidosis episode.