Spivak Baruch, Schechtman Mila, Blumensohn Rachel, Schonherz-Pine Yael, Yoran-Hegesh Roni, Deckmann Michael, Mayer Rina, Weizman Abraham, Shinitzky Meir
Beer Yaakov-Ness Ziona Mental Health Center, Beer Yaakov, Israel.
Neuropsychobiology. 2009;60(1):44-8. doi: 10.1159/000235801. Epub 2009 Sep 1.
It has been hypothesized that the etiology of schizophrenia, in a distinct group of patients, originates from an autoimmune reaction against platelets. Previous open screenings have recorded significantly higher blood titers of platelet-associated autoantibodies (PAA) in schizophrenic patients as compared to normal healthy subjects. In addition, young schizophrenic patients at the early stages of their disorder displayed higher PAA titers than older patients with a longer duration of the disorder. A blood test based on these observations was proposed.
To verify by a blind test a significant difference in PAA between young schizophrenic patients and matched healthy control subjects, for the validation of a blood test for schizophrenia.
A total of 36 young schizophrenic patients in an active psychotic state, aged 13-20 years (mean +/- SD: 16.2 +/- 2.1 years) with an average PANSS score of 115.6 +/- 14.5 and illness duration of 9.5 +/- 9.4 months, were examined. The control group consisted of 49 healthy young subjects between the ages of 13 and 21 years (16.2 +/- 2.2 years). The blood titers of PAA were evaluated blindly using an optimized ELISA test, expressed by a linear optical density (OD) scale. The blood samples of all participants were tested anonymously, and were scored under a code number. A test recording above 1.3 OD units was defined as positive.
The PAA titers of schizophrenia patients (1.6 +/- 0.4 OD units, range: 0.7-2.3 OD units) were significantly higher than those of the control group (1.0 +/- 0.4 OD units, range: 0.4-1.8 OD units; p < 0.0001). In 61% of the young schizophrenic patients (22 out of the 36 patients), a positive result (OD >1.3 units) was recorded. In the control group, only 12.2% (6 of the 49 subjects) displayed a positive result (p < 0.0001).
These findings support further assessment of PAA titers as a potential biomarker for patients with clinical signs and symptoms of schizophrenia.
有假说认为，在一组特定的患者中，精神分裂症的病因源于针对血小板的自身免疫反应。先前的开放性筛查记录显示，与正常健康受试者相比，精神分裂症患者血液中血小板相关自身抗体（PAA）的滴度显著更高。此外，处于疾病早期的年轻精神分裂症患者的PAA滴度高于病程较长的老年患者。基于这些观察结果提出了一项血液检测。
通过盲法检测验证年轻精神分裂症患者与匹配的健康对照受试者之间PAA的显著差异，以验证一项用于精神分裂症的血液检测。
共检查了36名处于活跃精神病状态的年轻精神分裂症患者，年龄在13至20岁之间（平均±标准差：16.2±2.1岁），平均阳性和阴性症状量表（PANSS）评分为115.6±14.5，病程为9.5±9.4个月。对照组由49名年龄在13至21岁之间（16.2±2.2岁）的健康年轻受试者组成。使用优化的酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）试验对PAA的血液滴度进行盲法评估，以线性光密度（OD）量表表示。所有参与者的血样均进行匿名检测，并根据代码编号评分。OD单位高于1.3的检测记录被定义为阳性。
精神分裂症患者的PAA滴度（1.6±0.4 OD单位，范围：0.7 - 2.3 OD单位）显著高于对照组（1.0±0.4 OD单位，范围：0.4 - 1.8 OD单位；p < 0.0001）。在61%的年轻精神分裂症患者（36名患者中的22名）中记录到阳性结果（OD > 1.3单位）。在对照组中，只有12.2%（49名受试者中的6名）显示阳性结果（p < 0.0001）。
这些发现支持进一步评估PAA滴度，将其作为有精神分裂症临床体征和症状患者的潜在生物标志物。
