Neopterin measurement provides evidence of altered cell-mediated immunity in patients with depression, but not with schizophrenia

Neopterin is a validated marker of the activation of cell-mediated immunity in a variety of disease states. We measured neopterin and creatinine concentrations in the plasma and urine of 22 schizophrenic and 26 depressed patients admitted acutely to hospital, and compared results with those in a lar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological medicine 1992-11, Vol.22 (4), p.1051-1057
Main Authors: Dunbar, P. R., Hill, J., Neale, T. J., Mellsop, G. W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Biopterins - analysis
Biopterins - blood
Biopterins - immunology
Brief Communication
Creatinine - analysis
Creatinine - blood
Creatinine - immunology
Depressive Disorder - blood
Depressive Disorder - diagnosis
Depressive Disorder - immunology
Female
Hospitals, Psychiatric
Humans
Immunity, Cellular - immunology
Immunologic Tests
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Patient Admission
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychoses
Radioimmunoassay
Schizophrenia - blood
Schizophrenia - diagnosis
Schizophrenia - immunology
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Summary:Neopterin is a validated marker of the activation of cell-mediated immunity in a variety of disease states. We measured neopterin and creatinine concentrations in the plasma and urine of 22 schizophrenic and 26 depressed patients admitted acutely to hospital, and compared results with those in a large group of normal controls. Neopterin/creatinine ratios were normal in the schizophrenic patients, but significantly elevated in the plasma of depressed patients. In each diagnostic group, the use of psychotropic drugs before admission had no effect on the neopterin ratios observed. Our findings indicate altered cell-mediated immunity in depression.
ISSN:0033-2917
1469-8978
DOI:10.1017/S0033291700038629