Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (Apr 2020)

Cortisol and DHEAS Related to Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Schizophrenia

  • Boiko AS,
  • Mednova IA,
  • Kornetova EG,
  • Bokhan NA,
  • Semke AV,
  • Loonen AJM,
  • Ivanova SA

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 16
pp. 1051 – 1058

Abstract

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Anastasiia S Boiko,1 Irina A Mednova,1 Elena G Kornetova,1,2 Nikolay A Bokhan,1,3 Arkadiy V Semke,1 Anton JM Loonen,4 Svetlana A Ivanova1,3 1Mental Health Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, Russian Federation; 2Hospital, Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russian Federation; 3Psychiatry, Addictology and Psychotherapy, Siberian State Medical University, Russian Federation; 4PharmacoTherapy, -Epidemiology and -Economics, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The NetherlandsCorrespondence: Anton JM LoonenPharmacoTherapy, Epidemiology and Economics, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The NetherlandsTel + 31 50 363 7576Fax + 31 50 363 2772Email [email protected]: Both dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) and cortisol are secreted by the adrenal glands and may modulate metabolic syndrome (MetS), which often affects the health of patients with schizophrenia. The relationship between the serum levels of these hormones and MetS has not been established.Purpose: In this pilot study, we investigated the serum levels in schizophrenia patients with and without MetS and compared them with those in healthy volunteers.Patients and Methods: After obtaining informed consent, 110 patients with acute paranoid schizophrenia were recruited directly after admission to the Mental Health Research Institute. The control group consisted of 51 persons reported on questioning to be mentally and somatically healthy. Blood samples to prepare serum were drawn after an 8-h overnight fast during one of the first days of admission. Serum cortisol and DHEAS concentrations were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: A total of 42 patients had MetS and 68 patients were without MetS. The cortisol blood level was significantly (p = 0.012) higher in schizophrenia patients without MetS in comparison to healthy controls, while patients with schizophrenia and a MetS have significantly (p = 0.014) lower DHEAS levels than healthy volunteers. These differences could, however, exclusively be attributed to female participants. Analysis of covariance adjusted for gender and age demonstrated a significant relationship between age and DHEAS levels (F = 9.512, р = 0.003).Conclusion: Lower DHEAS serum levels in relationship to MetS become evident in women, but not in men, and have age differences as a confounding factor.Keywords: schizophrenia, metabolic syndrome, acute relapse, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, female

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