Peripheral Non-enzymatic Antioxidants in Patients with Schizophrenia：A Case-control Study

Abstract Background: Recent studies show that oxidative stress is associated with the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. There are two major types of antioxidant systems in vivo, namely enzymatic antioxidants and non-enzymatic antioxidants. This study investigated the differences of non-enzymatic antioxidant between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. Methods: Peripheral UA, ALB and TBIL were measured respectively in 107 schizophrenic patients in acute stage and in 101 schizophrenic patients in remission stage, as well as in 273 healthy controls. Results: The levels of UA (P=0.020) and TBIL (P<0.001) in schizophrenic patients in acute stage were higher than healthy controls, and the level of ALB (P<0.001) was lower. Similar results were detected in schizophrenic patients in remission stage. Schizophrenic patients in acute stage were divided into antipsychotics-use subgroup (n=56) and antipsychotics-naïve/free subgroup (n=51). The level of UA (P=0.001) in antipsychotics-use subgroup was higher than that in antipsychotics-naïve/free subgroup, while the level of TBIL (P=0.002) was lower than that in antipsychotics-naïve/free subgroup. 77 schizophrenic patients in acute stage were followed up, and there was no significant difference in level of UA before and after treatment, but levels of ALB (P<0.001) and TBIL (P<0.001) decreased significantly after the treatment. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the dysfunction of peripheral non-enzymatic anti-oxidation system might be involved the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Keywords: Schizophrenia; Uric acid; Albumin; Total bilirubin