Abstract
Immunological aberrations have been reported in patients with schizophrenia but their significance remains unclear. Antiprothrombin antibodies have recently been linked to CNS manifestations of the antiphospholipid syndrome. Objective: To measure the levels of antibodies to prothrombin and thrombin in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: 96 subjects were assessed: 20 first episode schizophrenic patients, 20 chronic schizophrenic patients in acute exacerbation, 19 bipolar patients, 20 schizoaffective patients and 17 healthy sex and age-matched controls diagnosed by DSM-IV. Serum samples were tested for antibodies to prothrombin and thrombin in parallel by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay. Results: Antibodies to prothrombin (aPT) were significantly lower in first episode schizophrenia and schizoaffective patients as compared to controls (p=0.007 and p=0.02, respectively). Levels similar to controls were found in chronic schizophrenia and bipolar groups. Antibodies to thrombin were not detected in any of the samples tested. Conclusions: Antibodies to prothrombin are significantly decreased in patients with first episode schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 72 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - 2001 |