Relationship between Serum Bilirubin Levels and Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Objective

We investigated the relationship between serum bilirubin levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the longitudinal effects of baseline serum bilirubin concentrations on MetS in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders undergoing atypical antipsychotics.

Methods

The sample of this study consisted of 131 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Waist circumference, blood pressure, and levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose, and insulin were evaluated at baseline and at month six. Serum bilirubin levels were measured at baseline. Serum bilirubin levels of the patients with and without MetS criteria were compared. We also compared patients with high and low bilirubin levels (upper and lower 50th percentiles of serum bilirubin levels) in terms of MetS criteria, MetS frequency, and course of MetS.

Results

Serum direct bilirubin levels were more consistently related to MetS and MetS-related variables. The waist circumference and triglyceride criteria for MetS were significantly related to low serum direct bilirubin at baseline; waist circumference and fasting glucose criteria, and insulin resistance were associated with low serum direct bilirubin at follow-up. MetS diagnosis and the presence of the waist circumference criterion were more frequent at the baseline and the follow-up in low bilirubin group. At the end of the follow-up period, the rate of reverse MetS was significantly higher in the high bilirubin group.

Conclusion

Our results have suggested that serum direct bilirubin levels showed a more reliable and stable relationship with abdominal obesity for MetS components.in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders using antipsychotics. Further studies are required.

Association of microRNA biogenesis pathway gene variants and alcohol dependence risk

Alcohol dependence (AD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder to which both genetic and environmental factors contribute. Especially, multiple genetic factors are promising to explain the etiology of AD. microRNAs (miRNAs) are members of a family of noncoding small RNAs, which are thought to be responsible for the altered gene expression in neuropsychiatric disorders. We hypothesized that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the miRNA biogenesis pathway may result in dysregulation of miRNA levels inside the cell. The aim of this study was to test an association between miRNA biogenesis gene variants and AD risk. Real-time polymerase chain reaction genotyping experiment was conducted on DNA samples from 123 alcohol-dependent patients and 135 healthy controls. We found that AGO1 rs595961 (χ(2) = 9.066, p = 0.003; odds ratio [OR] = 0.459, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.275-0.768) and AGO2 rs4961280 (χ(2) = 4.111, p = 0.043; OR = 0.590, 95% CI: 0.353-0.986) G alleles have significantly altered the risk for AD, and also there is a significant association of GEMIN4 rs910924 (χ(2) = 5.291, p = 0.021; OR = 1.913, 95% CI: 1.094-3.344) T allele with the risk for AD. We also found statistically significant difference in AGO1 rs595961 (χ(2) = 11.139, p = 0.001) and DGCR8 rs1640299 (χ(2) = 13.001, p = 0.002) genotype frequencies between case-control groups. This is the first study to investigate the effects of SNPs in the miRNA biogenesis pathway on AD risk. In conclusion, we identified a significant association of miRNA biogenesis genes with altered AD risk, and these results could be a guide to research on the role of miRNAs in AD in the future.

Antidepressants and menstruation disorders in women: a cross-sectional study in three centers

OBJECTIVE

The relationship between menstruation disorders and antidepressant drugs usage in women remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the incidence rate of antidepressant-related menstruation disorders and to examine whether or not antidepressant use is associated with menstrual disorders in women.

METHODS

The study sample was gathered from three centers and four hospitals. A total of 1432 women who met the criteria of inclusion were included in the study. The sample was divided into two groups: the antidepressant group (n=793) and the control group (n=639). The menstruation disorders were established with reports from the study participants on the basis of related gynecological descriptions.

RESULTS

The prevalence of menstrual disorders was significantly higher in the antidepressant group (24.6%) than the control group (12.2%). The incidence of antidepressant-induced menstruation disorder was 14.5%. The antidepressants most associated with menstrual disorders were paroxetine, venlafaxine, sertraline and their combination with mirtazapine. Overall, the incidence rate was similar in women receiving selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study suggest that menstruation disorders are frequently observed in women taking antidepressants and that it appears to be associated with antidepressant use at least in some women.