title: Therapeutic effect of aripiprazole in chronic schizophrenia is accompanied by anti-inflammatory activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Weight gain and metabolic abnormalities occur in chronic schizophrenia patients treated with atypical antipsychotics. The purpose of the study was to evaluate changes in serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), insulin and cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, sTNF-R1, IL-12, IL-23, IL-1Ra, TGF-β1, IL-4, and IL-10) after switching to aripiprazole.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytokine, hsCRP and insulin measurements were performed in patients (n=17) on day 0 and day 28 of the study using standard ELISA assays. The psychopathological status was assessed using PANSS. WC and BMI were measured and calculated, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed high clinical efficacy in aripiprazole linked to a 2.7% weight loss. There were statistically significant reductions in PANSS scores and body parameters (p<0.001). After 28 days we detected a significant reduction in hsCRP (p<0.001), insulin (p<0.001), IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, sTNF-R1, IL-12, IL-23, IL-1Ra, TGF-β1, IL-4 (p<0.001), IFN-γ (p<0.05) and a significant elevation of IL-10 (p<0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between IL-10 levels and PANSS positive, negative and total scores after the study (p=0.022, p=0.003, p=0.008, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aripiprazole limits inflammatory processes by enhancing anti-inflammatory signaling. Aripiprazole also reduces the risk of metabolic abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry, Chair and Department of Psychiatry, Tarnowskie Góry, Poland. Electronic address: jaroslaw.sobis@poczta.onet.pl.
authors.forename: Jarosław
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sobiś
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia, School of Public Health, Chair of Toxicology and Drug Addiction, Department of Toxicology and Health Protection, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rykaczewska-Czerwińska
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry, Chair of Biochemistry, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Zabrze, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Świętochowska
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry, Chair and Department of Psychiatry, Tarnowskie Góry, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gorczyca
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D007328:Insulin; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Aripiprazole; CRP; Chronic schizophrenia; Cytokines