Increased serum levels of inflammatory markers in chronic institutionalized patients with schizophrenia.
Activation of the cytokine systems may be involved in the neuropathological changes occurring in the central nervous systems of schizophrenic patients. However, associations between the levels of cytokines and the severity of symptoms have not been completely established.


OBJECTIVE
It was the aim of this study to evaluate serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and their soluble receptors (sTNFR) in schizophrenic patients and healthy controls.


METHODS
Forty male institutionalized schizophrenic patients (mean age +/- SD, 52.3 +/- 9.9 years) and 20 asymptomatic matched controls were recruited. The severity of symptoms was assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale. Serum levels of cytokines were measured by ELISAs.


RESULTS
Serum levels of sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 were increased in schizophrenic patients when compared with controls (all p < 0.05), but there was no difference in TNF-alpha levels. There was no correlation between the length of disease/hospitalization or the severity of symptoms and the serum levels of these molecules.


CONCLUSIONS
Inflammatory markers are increased in schizophrenia but they do not correlate with symptom severity.
Coelho
Fernanda Matos
FM
Group of Neuroimmunology, Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Reis
Helton José
HJ
Nicolato
Rodrigo
R
Romano-Silva
Marco Aurélio
MA
Teixeira
Mauro Martins
MM
Bauer
Moisés Evandro
ME
Teixeira
Antonio Lucio
AL
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology
D015415:Biomarkers; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha