Blood protein fraction comparisons of normal and schizophrenic patients.

Whole blood, plasma, or serum levels of various components were measured in fasting, drug-free control subjects and drug-free schizophrenic patients. Compared to normal controls, chronic schizophrenic patients showed increased alpha2-globulins and decreased plasma cholinesterase activity and ceruloplasmin activity, and acute schizophrenic patients showed decreased alpha2-globulins. Compared to chronic patients, acute schizophrenics showed decreased alpha2-globulins and IgA. Compared to normal controls of similar age, chronic schizophrenic patients weighed less, were shorter, and had smaller body surface area. The acute schizophrenic patients were significantly younger than the normal subjects or chronic schizophrenics but there was no difference in the other physical measurements. The present study indicates no gross disturbances in the blood variables studied. That some differences are statistically significant from controls is of scientific interest, but of no clinical value in the diagnosis of schizophrenia.