Comparison of the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms, biomarkers, and childhood trauma among bipolar smokers and non-smokers, and controls

Abstract

Background: Bipolar smokers were more likely to develop a worse course, had more severity of depressive symptoms, as well as had experienced more childhood trauma, and had increased levels of leptin and inflammatory biomarkers Objectives: To investigate whether the co-occurrence of bipolar disorder (BD) and tobacco use disorder (TUD) was associated with severity of symptoms, childhood trauma, lower quality of life, functional impairment, alterations in the leptin levels, inflammatory biomarkers, and lipid profile, Methods: Individuals investigated were BD smokers, BD never–smokers, non-BD smokers, and non-BD never-smokers. Socio-demographic and clinical data were assessed by structured questionnaire. Other assessments used were body mass index (BMI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale, Sheehan Disability Scale, Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and laboratory biomarkers (leptin, high-sensitivity Creactive protein, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 and 2, and lipid profile). Results: BD smokers had significant positive correlation between leptin levels and emotional abuse, leptin and severity of depression, leptin and severity of anxiety, leptin and Castelli risk indexes 1 and 2, emotional abuse and BMI, BMI and triglycerides but a negative correlation between emotional abuse and quality of life. Conclusion: These findings suggest that bipolar smokers, whose leptin levels were increased, were linked to childhood trauma, greater severity of depressive and anxious symptoms and alterations in components of metabolism. Further studies are recommended to understand the role of leptin in the pathogenesis of bipolar smokers.

Keywords

• Tobacco use disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Child abuse
• Biomarkers
• Betabolism