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The nonenzymatic antioxidant profile as a biomarker for adolescent mood disorders: Cross-sectional and longitudinal
Zhenhong Jiang1,2, Luman Zhang1, Shenglan Ran3
1Department of Psychiatry, Key Laboratory of Major Brain Disease and Aging Research (Ministry of Education), the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China.
Abstract:
ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the associations between serum nonenzymatic antioxidants and major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder in adolescents.MethodsCross-sectional (410 adolescents: 178 patients with major depressive disorder, 54 patients with bipolar disorder, and 178 healthy controls) and longitudinal (72 adolescents: 55 patients with major depressive disorder and 17 patients with bipolar disorder) analyses were conducted. Antioxidant levels were measured and correlated with diagnosis and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores. Treatment-related changes in uric acid, albumin, and total bilirubin were assessed in the longitudinal cohort.ResultsPatients with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder showed higher uric acid (p = 0.019) and lower albumin and total bilirubin (p < 0.001) than in controls. Multivariate regression analysis identified uric acid as a risk factor for major depressive disorder (odds ratio = 2.52, p = 0.003) and bipolar disorder (odds ratio = 4.66, p = 0.001), whereas albumin and total bilirubin were protective factors (p < 0.001). Post-treatment, uric acid decreased in patients with major depressive disorder (336.7 ± 82.5 to 314.1 ± 76.5 µmol/L, p = 0.017) and bipolar disorder (341.9 ± 106.8 to 314.5 ± 102.4 µmol/L, p = 0.013), whereas total bilirubin increased in patients with major depressive disorder (8.8 ± 3.4 to 11.0 ± 4.6 µmol/L, p = 0.001). Uric acid was correlated positively with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores in patients with major depressive disorder (r = 0.32, p < 0.001) and showed a trend in patients with bipolar disorder (r = 0.33, p = 0.06). Total bilirubin showed an inverse correlation with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores in patients with major depressive disorder (r = -0.30, p = 0.002).ConclusionAdolescent patients with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder exhibit antioxidant imbalances. Elevated uric acid may act as a risk factor, whereas reduced albumin and total bilirubin appear protective, suggesting their role as biomarkers for disease status and treatment response.
