title: Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor levels in patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The etiology of schizophrenia remains largely unknown but alterations in the immune system may be involved. In addition to the psychiatric symptoms, schizophrenia is also associated with up to 20 years reduction in life span. Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a protein that can be measured in blood samples and reflects the levels of inflammatory activity. It has been associated with mortality and the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  suPAR levels in patients with schizophrenia were compared to healthy controls from the Danish Blood Donor Study. SuPAR levels were dichotomized at >4.0 ng/ml, which is considered the threshold for low grade inflammation. A multiple logistic regression model was used and adjusted for age, sex, and current smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total we included 1009 subjects, 105 cases with schizophrenia (10.4%) and 904 controls (89.6%). The mean suPAR values were 4.01 ng/ml (SD = 1.43) for the cases vs 1.91 ng/ml (SD = 1.35) for the controls (P < .001). Multiple logistic regression with odds ratio (OR) for suPAR levels >4.0 ng/ml yielded: schizophrenia, OR: 46.15 95% CI 22.69-93.87, P < .001; age, OR: 1.02 95% CI 0.99-1.02, P = .15; male sex, OR: 0.70 95% CI 0.35-1.36, P = .29; and current smoking, OR: 3.51 95% CI 1.78-6.94, P < .001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher suPAR levels than healthy controls. Further studies are warranted to clarify if elevated suPAR levels are involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and/or the increased mortality found in patients with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: jin@rn.dk.
authors.forename: Jimmi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Institute of Pathology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark;
authors.forename: Rasmus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Røge
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark;
authors.forename: Sofie Gry
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Pristed
authors.affiliation: Regional Psychiatric Services West, Herning, Denmark;
authors.forename: Anne Grethe
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Viuff
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark;
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ullum
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark;
authors.forename: Lise Wegner
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Thørner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Copenhagen Mental Health Services; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Werge
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Psychiatry in Vestfold, Tønsberg, Norway;
authors.forename: Torkel
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator
keywords: cardiovascular; immunology; inflammatory; low grade; mortality; psychosis