RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between cytokine peripheral levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with schizophrenia and controls. METHODS: A sample of 40 patients and 40 control subjects participated in the study. Psychiatric diagnosis was established following structured clinical assessment. The Framingham Score was used to assess cardiovascular risk (CVR). Serum levels of the cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70 and TNF-α were determined by cytometric bead array (CBA) technique, and the serum levels of IL-33, sST2, sTNFR1, sTNFR2, Leptin and Adiponectin by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Patients with schizophrenia showed greater frequency of moderate CVR when compared with controls (p = 0.14). In addition, patients showed higher levels of sTNFR2 and Adiponectin compared to controls (p = 0.007 and p < 0.001, respectively). Adiponectin and sTNFR2 were associated with CVR only in patients (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.033, respectively). In multivariate analysis controlling for socio-demographic and clinical confounders, illness duration (r = 0.492; p < 0.002) and sTNFR2 (r = 0.665; p < 0.004) were independent predictors of CVR. CONCLUSION: Our results reinforce the concept that patients with schizophrenia are at greater risk to develop cardiovascular diseases, and suggest that the associated chronic low-grade inflammation might play a role in this process.
Assuntos
Doenças Cardiovasculares , Esquizofrenia , Adiponectina , Doenças Cardiovasculares/epidemiologia , Doenças Cardiovasculares/etiologia , Citocinas , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Humanos , Inflamação , Receptores Tipo I de Fatores de Necrose Tumoral , Receptores Tipo II do Fator de Necrose Tumoral , Fatores de Risco , Esquizofrenia/complicações , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfaRESUMO
ABSTRACT Background: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection has been identified as a risk factor for schizophrenia. Objectives: Herein, we sought to evaluate the association between T. gondii infection and clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 48 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 40 controls. Peripheral blood was drawn, and IgM and IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies were evaluated by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Depressive, positive and negative symptoms were assessed, respectively, by the Calgary Depression Scale (CDS) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Cognitive performance was assessed in patients by the Brazilian version of the Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS-BR). Quality of life was assessed by the Brazilian version of the Quality of Life in Schizophrenia scale (QLS-BR). Results: The prevalence and titers of T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies did not differ between patients and controls. The positive serology for T. gondii IgG antibodies was not associated with illness symptoms, cognitive performance, depressive symptoms or quality of life. Discussion: Our findings suggest that toxoplasmosis infection is not associated with severity of symptoms, quality of life, cognitive or depressive symptoms in schizophrenia patients.