Elevated Platelet Parameter in First-Episode Schizophrenia Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience and Psychiatry
• Hematology
• Immunology

Background:

• Schizophrenia (SZ) pathogenesis is hypothesized to involve serotonin (5-HT) and inflammation, with platelets implicated in both.
• The specific association between platelet indices and inflammation markers in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) remains understudied.
• Platelets play a role in inflammation and hemostasis, making them relevant to psychiatric disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR), platelet distribution width (PDW), and plateletcrit (PCT) in FES patients.
• To assess inflammation markers: neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) in FES, first-episode depression (FED), and healthy controls (HCs).
• To investigate the potential of these markers in differentiating FES from FED.

Main Methods:

• Complete blood counts were analyzed in 106 FES patients, 82 FED patients, and 120 HCs.
• PLR, NLR, and MLR were calculated from blood count data.
• Statistical comparisons were performed among the three groups to identify significant differences in the measured parameters.

Main Results:

• FES patients showed significantly increased PLT, MPV, P-LCR, PDW, PCT, NLR, PLR, and MLR compared to HCs.
• FED patients exhibited significantly higher PLT, PCT, PLR, and MLR than HCs, with no significant difference in MPV, P-LCR, and NLR.
• MPV, P-LCR, PDW, NLR, and MLR were significantly higher in FES patients compared to FED patients.

Conclusions:

• The observed elevations in platelet parameters and inflammation markers in FES patients support the serotonin and inflammation hypotheses of SZ.
• Specific markers, including MPV, P-LCR, PDW, NLR, and MLR, may serve as potential biomarkers to distinguish FES from FED.
• Further research is warranted to explore the clinical utility of these hematological and inflammatory markers in schizophrenia.