title: Osteoprotegerin levels in patients with severe mental disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe mental disorders are associated with elevated levels of inflammatory markers. In the present study, we investigated whether osteoprotegerin (OPG), a member of the tumour necrosis factor receptor family involved in calcification and inflammation, is elevated in patients with severe mental disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the plasma levels of OPG in patients with severe mental disorders (n = 312; 125 with bipolar disorder and 187 with schizophrenia) and healthy volunteers (n = 239).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean plasma levels of OPG were significantly higher in patients than in controls (t531 = 2.6, p = 0.01), with the same pattern in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The increase was significant after adjustment for possible confounding variables, including age, sex, ethnic background, alcohol consumption, liver and kidney function, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases and levels of cholesterol, glucose and C-reactive protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Owing to the cross-sectional design, it is difficult to determine causality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that elevated OPG levels are associated with severe mental disorders and suggest that mechanisms related to calcification and inflammation may play a role in disease development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Østfold Hospital, Fredrikstad, Norway. sigrun.hope@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Sigrun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hope
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melle
authors.forename: Pål
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aukrust
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Agartz
authors.forename: Steinar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lorentzen
authors.forename: Nils Eiel
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Steen
authors.forename: Srdjan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Djurovic
authors.forename: Thor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueland
authors.forename: Ole A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Andreassen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D053244:Osteoprotegerin