Features of the immune profile of schizophrenic patients with catatonic syndrome

OBJECTIVE An analysis of inflammatory and autoimmune markers in schizophrenic patients with- and without catatonic symptoms in comparison to healthy controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS A sample of 170 patients with paranoid schizophrenia was stratified by the presence of catatonic symptoms in the structure of psychosis (66 patients with catatonia and 104 patients without catatonia), inclusion threshold was >10 points on the Bush-Francis catatonia scale. The examination was carried out in the early days of inpatient treatment using psychopathological, psychometric and immunological methods. RESULTS Quantitative and qualitative differences in the spectrum of immune indicators in both groups of patients are revealed. A higher level of the immune system activation is found in the group with catatonic symptoms that indicates a worsening of the pathological process. A specific feature of the immunological profile of catatonic syndrome in schizophrenia is a decrease in ratio between leukocyte elastase and a1-proteinase inhibitor (leukocyte-inhibitory index) accompanied by the increase of other inflammatory markers that, presumably, indicates the deterioration of the phagocyte component of the inflammatory response. CONCLUSION The results suggest that the decrease in leukocyte-inhibitory index is a potential biomarker of catatonic syndrome in schizophrenia.