Can Non-specific Blood Inflammatory Biomarkers Predict Recovery in Acute Transient Psychotic Disorder? A Prospective...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Immunology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Inflammation is implicated in the pathogenesis of psychotic disorders.
• Acute and transient psychotic disorder (ATPD) is a condition characterized by a sudden onset of psychotic symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure inflammatory markers in drug-naïve, first-episode ATPD patients at baseline.
• To assess the changes in these markers after three months of antipsychotic treatment.
• To explore the relationship between inflammatory marker changes and clinical improvement.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study design.
• Recruited 78 drug-naïve patients with first-episode ATPD.
• Measured serum prolactin, serum cortisol, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), total leucocyte count, and differential leucocyte count at baseline and after three months.
• Assessed psychopathology and global functioning.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in psychopathology and global functioning was observed in over three-fourths of patients.
• Patients who improved showed a significant reduction in total leucocyte count, absolute neutrophil count, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.
• Duration of untreated illness positively correlated with ESR (P = .042; r = 0.401).

Conclusions:

• Elevated inflammatory biomarkers are present in drug-naïve ATPD patients.
• Antipsychotic treatment leads to a reduction in these inflammatory markers.
• Findings suggest a potential role for inflammation in the pathogenesis of ATPD.