WITHDRAWN: Psychoneuroimmunological characterization in schizophrenia requires health-related adjustments

Abstract

Schizophrenia is severe and complex. It’s etiology, course, and severity are influe nced by biologica l (e.g., genetic) and psychosocial factors (e.g., urbanicity). Altera tions in cytokine s leve ls (im mune function bioma rkers) were reported in schizophrenia, which related to symptom severity, indicating a potentia l role of im mune activity in this dis order. Cytokine leve ls are influenced by life habits (e.g., smoking), personal characteristics (e.g., sex/ gender), and life conditions (e.g., care access).We used data from the Signature Biobank: 262 schizophrenic patients vis iting an emergency room in Montreal, Canada, and 145 healthy controls. We investigated pla sma concentrations of IL-6, TNF-α and CRP in relation to schizophrenia diagnosis and symptom severity and adjusted analyses with tobacco use, BMI, age and sex.Patients showed higher levels of IL-6 (t=2.67, p=0.008) than controls, along with females compared to ma le s (t=1.844, p=0.033), and smokers compared to non-smokers (t=2.304, p=0.029). Among non-smokers, IL-6 remained higher for patients (t=1.932, p(unila teral)=0.027), but not when controlling for age and BMI (F=2.849, p=0.093). Non-smoking female patients showed higher IL-6 levels, even when controlling for BMI and age (F=6.916, p=0.010). TNF-α correlated with depressive (r=0.162, p=0.010) and psychotic symptoms (r=0.213, p<0.001) among patients.Cytokine s in schizophrenia need contextua liza tion to refle ct life habits ’ influence. Each cytokine has a different role in im mune activity that relates differently with dia gnos is and symptom severity.Immunophenotyping among schizophre nic patients require s adjusting for individual characteristics. This characterizati