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Metabolic parameters as possible diagnostic predictors in first-episode psychosis: An exploratory retrospective
Sofia Ramos Ferreira1,2, Diana Moura1,2, Pedro Oliveira3
1Early Intervention in Psychosis Unit, Psychiatry Department, Coimbra Hospital and Universitary Centre, Coimbra, Portugal.
Aim:
Patients in early phases of schizophrenia or mood disorders with psychotic symptoms have a wide array of metabolic abnormalities. We analysed the potential predictive value of uric acid (UA) levels and other metabolic parameters in first-episode psychosis patients to differentiate between non-affective and affective psychosis.
Methods:
Retrospective chart review of all patients referenced to a first-episode psychosis unit (n = 149), between 2012 and 2017, with available UA levels. Patients included (n = 37) were compared according to the follow-up diagnosis of schizophrenia or mood disorder.
Results:
Mood disorder patients presented higher UA levels (p = .030) and lower fasting blood glucose levels (p = .020) compared with schizophrenia patients. The remaining variables did not show significant intergroup differences.
Conclusions:
Findings in this first-episode psychosis cohort support previous evidence suggesting higher UA levels as a predictor of affective psychosis and glucose dysfunction as predictive of schizophrenia. Further studies are needed to explore metabolic parameters as possible diagnostic predictors in first-episode psychosis.
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