Elevated C-reactive protein among symptomatic youth with bipolar disorder

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Psychiatry
• Inflammation and chronic disease

Background:

• Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels correlate with mood symptoms in adults with bipolar disorder (BD).
• Limited research exists on CRP in youth with BD, and previous studies lacked control groups.
• Investigating CRP in youth with BD is crucial for understanding disease mechanisms and potential biomarkers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in relation to symptomatic status in adolescents with and without bipolar disorder (BD).
• To compare CRP levels between asymptomatic BD youth, symptomatic BD youth, and healthy controls (HC).
• To explore the association between CRP levels and mood symptom severity in youth with BD.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 154 youth (mean age 17 years) was studied, including 48 asymptomatic BD, 39 symptomatic BD, and 67 HC.
• Rank analysis of covariance was used to compare CRP levels across groups, controlling for age and sex.
• Spearman's correlation assessed the relationship between CRP and mood symptom severity within the BD group.

Main Results:

• Significant group differences in CRP levels were observed (p=0.007).
• Symptomatic BD youth exhibited higher CRP levels compared to HC (p=0.01).
• This difference diminished after controlling for body mass index (BMI), and CRP was not significantly associated with symptom severity.

Conclusions:

• CRP levels are elevated in symptomatic youth with BD, partly mediated by BMI.
• The findings suggest a complex interplay between mood symptoms, BMI, and inflammation in youth BD.
• Elevated CRP in symptomatic youth with BD warrants concern for long-term cardiovascular and neurological health.