Prognostic Roles of C-Reactive Protein and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate As Acute Phase Reactants in Mentally Challenged Subjects

Adedeji David Atere,Ifelola Patience Adebua,Idomeh Festus Aigbokheo,Bashiru S A Oseni,Joshua Seun Fapohunda

doi:10.18502/sjms.v13i4.3641

Abstract

Background: A mental disorder is a psychiatric disease that presents as mild or severe disturbances in a person’s behavior, mood, or thought. Mental illnesses are very common because of excessive stress. Recent studies show that mental illnesses are on the rise generally because of increasing stress. In Nigeria, medical records suggest an upsurge in mental health cases since the onset of the country’s economic downturn and the consequent trauma following it. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is an indirect marker of serum acute-phase protein concentrations, whereas C-reactive protein (CRP) is a direct protein measurement and it is inherently more well-defined. This study thus evaluated the roles of ESR and CRP as sensitive markers of inflammation and correlated their levels with severity stratification and prognosis in schizophrenic patients.

Highlights

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that is characterized by a breakdown of thought processes and by poor emotional responsiveness, with mild or severe disturbances in a person’s behavior, mood, or thought [1]
Comparing the mean hematological parameters and C-reactive protein (CRP) in schizophrenic subjects and controls using independent student T-test, the mean GRA, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and CRP were significantly higher among schizophrenia, while the mean packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cells (RBCs), and HBG were significantly lower (Table 1)
The data in this study showed that the mean levels of granulocytes (GRA), ESR and C-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly higher in schizophrenic group in comparison with non-schizophrenic groups, while the mean PCV, RBC, and HBG were significantly lower among schizophrenic group

Summary

Introduction

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that is characterized by a breakdown of thought processes and by poor emotional responsiveness, with mild or severe disturbances in a person’s behavior, mood, or thought [1]. Nigeria with a population of nearly 170 million has about 1.7 million people suffering from schizophrenia [6] This figure reached before 2014 has risen to a new level following the economic slump and the accompanying stress the country has suffered since 2016 which can lead to a state of depression. Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that affects thoughts, behavior, and physical well-being [7] It remains a health issue of public importance. This study evaluated the roles of ESR and CRP as sensitive markers of inflammation and correlated their levels with severity stratification and prognosis in schizophrenic patients. Conclusion: This study evaluated the role of ESR and CRP as sensitive markers of inflammation and acute phase reactants in schizophrenic patients. The findings showed that CRP was a better diagnostic or predictor treatment outcome of schizophrenia

Methods

Results

Conclusion