Neopterin levels and dexamethasone suppression test in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Neopterin, a biopterin precursor that is released by macrophages, is an important immunological marker in psychiatric disorders. It has been reported that glucocorticoids may cause suppression of cell-mediated immunity and consequently result in decreased neopterin levels. In the present study, we evaluated whether dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and neopterin findings were associated with pure obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients (OCD-D group) and the concomitant OCD and depression (OCD+D group). The sample comprised 44 patients with OCD (27 with OCD-D and 17 with OCD+D) and 30 control subjects. There was significantly higher DST nonsuppression in the OCD+D group than in the OCD-D group. With regard to mean neopterin levels, there was no significant difference between the OCD-D group and the control group, but there was a statistically significant difference between the OCD+D group and the control group. The OCD+D group had significantly lower neopterin levels than the 20 OCD-D group. We suggest that this distinction may reflect the fact that glucocorticoids can lead to suppression of cell-mediated immunity and consequently can result in decreased neopterin levels. In conclusion, our results suggest that not the OCD-D group had normal neopterin levels and DST results, and also that OCD may be a heterogeneous subtype characterized by some biological indicators or anxiety and affective disorders.
Kuloğlu
Murat
M
Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
Atmaca
Murad
M
Onal
Süleyman
S
Geçici
Omer
O
Bulut
Vedat
V
Tezcan
Ertan
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000276:immunology*; D003907:Dexamethasone; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values
D019798:Neopterin; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone