title: T-cell subsets in schizophrenia: a comparison between drug-naive first episode patients and chronic schizophrenic patients.
abstract: T-cell subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, NK-cells) and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio were measured in 56 schizophrenic patients admitted to hospital with an acute psychosis. Thirty-five patients with chronic schizophrenia and 21 drug-naive first episode schizophrenic patients were compared with 16 healthy controls. T-cell subsets were quantified in the acute state of the illness (day 0), after 7 days of treatment and at the time of discharge. In the acute state, schizophrenic patients showed higher CD3+ and CD4+ cells (p = 0.05) and a higher CD4/CD8 ratio (p = 0.02) than healthy controls, while NK-cells were lower (p = 0.05). In first episode patients, all T-cell alterations normalized during treatment. In the chronic group the ratio remained high, whereas the initially low number of NK-cells normalized over time. These findings, supporting immune system dysregulation in schizophrenia, are discussed in relation to psychopathology, the stage of illness and effects of medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Psychiatry, Innsbruck University Clinics, Austria.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sperner-Unterweger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Whitworth
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kemmler
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hilbe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thaler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Fleischhacker
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio / Q000187:drug effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D016207:Cytokines