It has been reported an inflammatory state in schizophrenia, with altered levels of some cytokines (Zhou et al. Cytokine 2021; 141:155441). Recent publications have shown the importance of IL- 33, a member of the IL-1 cytokine family which acts as an alarmin (Han et al. Neurosci Bull 2011; 27, 351-357). The role of this cytokine as a biomarker has been investigated in schizophrenia (Koricanac et al. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13, 925757). However, results are controversial. Some studies have not found significant associations between IL-33 and chronic schizophrenia (Campos-Carli et al. Compr Psychiatry 2017; 74 96-101), while other papers have reported increased levels (Kozlowska et. al. J Psychiatr Res. 2021; 138 380-387). In all these studies, levels of IL-33 were measured in a single daily measure, so that it has not been studied if IL-33 has changes during hospitalization.

To study the serum level of IL-33 at 12:00 and 00:00 hours in schizophrenia patients at admission and before hospital discharge.

Fifteen inpatients with diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia according to ICD-10 criteria were studied. Patients were hospitalized at the University Hospital of the Canary Islands psychiatric ward because of an acute relapse. A total of four blood samples were taken from each patient: at 12:00 and 00:00 hours the day after admission and at 12:00 and 00:00 hours the day before discharge. Serum IL-33 levels were measured by ELISA techniques. Daytime and nighttime IL-33 serum levels at admission and discharge were compared using a non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

In table 1 the results of the comparison of IL-33 at admission and discharge are presented. There is a significant reduction of IL-33 levels at 00:00 h. at discharge in comparison with the IL-33 levels at 00:00 h. at admission (p=0.028). No other statistically significant differences were observed.

The decrease of serum IL-33 at 00:00 at discharge compared to the 00:00 IL-33 serum level at admission points to the utility of this biomarker as a surrogate of brain inflammation.

None Declared

Psychiatric illnesses are related with a reduced life expectancy and an increase of mortality rates (around 60%) mainly associated with cardiovascular diseases [1]. The high prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus and tobacco use among these patients undoubtelly predispose to the impairment in physical health and mortaility increase. Regular physical activity in the general population is associated with a decrease in cardiovascular risk but litle is know about iss influence in some chronic and severe mental disorders like schizophrenia [2].

To quantify the physical activity performed by a sample of subjects with psychosis, borth males and female, compared to a control group.

A sample composed of 141 patients with schizoprenia was compared to 103 healthy subjects as a control group. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ) scale was applied to all participants. The time (minutes) of physical activity performed in a week (METs) was collected by each participant [3].

The differences in the total physical activity Mets for the patients with schizophrenia were highly significant (p = 0.001), showing a lower degree of physical activity compared to the control group. A higher and significant percentage of sedentary lifestyle among the psychiatric group (64.5%), compared to 35.5% in the control group was found.

The group of pateints with Schizophrenia showed a significant higher sedentary lifestile including less physical activity. This finding could be highly related with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and deterioration of the physical health.

No significant relationships.

The sample was comprised by 38 patients who were admitted in the psychiatric ward of the University Hospital of the Canaries. Thirty eight patients were male and 9 were female with medium average age of 37.41±11.23. Exclusion criteria were psychoactive substance use, presence of acute or chronic organic pathology, treatment with immunosuppressive medication, pregnancy and mental retardation or severe cognitive impairment. There were performed two blood extractions following the circadian rhythm, at 12:00 and at 24:00 hours. One hour before night blood collection, each patient was placed in a reclined position in bed, with the eyes closed, in complete darkness and with eyes covered with a mask. Blood was centrifuged at 3.000 rpm for 10 minutes. Specific biological and psychopathological determinations were performed at admission and at discharge. Psychopathology was assessed with PANSS and by the same psychiatrist. Statistical analyses were carried out with the Social Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). MDA was determined spectrophotometrically.

MDA level at night was 1.94±1.54 while MDA level at midday was 2.23±1.36.Mean PANSS negative score was 15.73±6.31.Serum MDA level correlated positively with PANSS negative scores, both at midday and night (midday r=0.39, p< 0.01, midnight r=0.41, p< 0.01).

The total negative subscale score correlated positively with day and night time levels of MDA, therefore we can conclude that MDA may be used as a marker of negative psychopathology.

Mr. Y is a 36 year old male patient diagnosed with simple schizophrenia that has complained of insomnia since the age of sixteen. During the last three years the treatment that the patient was following was stable and consisted of 100 mg of diazepam, 300 mg of levomepromazine and 120 mg of clotiapine every night. During the last year 60 mg of duloxetine were added to treat a moderate depression. His mood improved with the prescribed treatment, but eleven months later it worsened. In an attempt to simultaneously treat the mood and the sleep disorder, during a period of 4 days, a dosis of 12.5 mg of aglomelatin at dinner was introduced while the morning dose of duloxetine was reduced to 30mg. On the fifth day, agomelatine was increased to 25 mg at dinner while duloxetine was suspended. The antipsychotic treatment was kept stable while the patient was instructed to reduce 10 mg of diazepam every week until next appointment one month later. In the next appointment the patient had completely suspended diazepam one week before the appointment. The patient referred improved sleep quality and no rebound insomnia.

Agomelatine may be a valid treatment of insomnia in schizophrenia.

Stress and trauma have been reported as leading contributing factors in schizophrenia. And certainly child abuse (neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse among others) has a lasting negative impact, which is well established in literature.

To consider the presence of infant trauma and its relationship with psychopathology in paranoid schizophrenics.Methods. 37 patients (mean age 29±6.3; years from onset 9.20±4.7), meeting DSM IV paranoid schizophrenia criteria, undergoing treatment in a university hospital are studied. The PANSS is administered in order to rate psychopathology.

27 patients had infant trauma (55.8%). Main traumas are: sexual abuse (12.8%), child abuse (7.7%), both sexual and child abuse (5.18%), parental separation (7.7%), extra-rigid parents (2.6%), alcoholic parents (18.2%), child abuse and mother's death in childhood (2.6%). Infant trauma and psychopathology showed a significant relationship concerning Hostility (No 1.75±1.209, Yes 2.26±1.759), Unnatural Movements and Posture (No 1.55±0.945, Yes 1.16±0.545), Depression (No 1.25±0.550, Yes 1.74±1.284) and Preoccupation (No 2.75±1.410, Yes 3.26±1.996).

Infant trauma is common in paranoid schizophrenia and our findings give some evidence to a relationship with psychopathology, especially with dimensions as Hostility, Unnatural Movements and Posture, Depression and Preoccupation. Despite sample size, a high proportion (55.8%) of the patients presented infant trauma and future research is needed in order to open new avenues in this field, particularly studies concerning infant trauma and symptomatology specificity will be greatly appreciated as well as the plausible link to personality traits and personality disorders.

Schizophrenia is a chronic disease. Several etiopathogenic aetiologies have been posed, among them the existence of cerebral inflammation. S100B is a calcium-binding protein, mainly produced and secreted by astrocytes, that mediates the interaction among glial cells and between glial cells and neurons. Serum S100B levels have been proposed as a peripheral marker of brain inflammation.

The aim of this research is to study if the serum level of the protein S100B has relationship with positive psychopathology.

31 paranoid schizophrenic inpatients (22 male and 9 female, 36.7±10.3 years) meeting DSM-IV criteria participated in the study. Blood was sampled by venipuncture at 12:00 and 24:00 hours. Blood extractions were carried out during the first 48 hours after hospital admission. Psychopathology was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Serum S100B levels were measured by sandwich ELISA techniques.

Correlations between serum levels of S100B protein and PANSS positive scores are shown in the following table. The first figure corresponds to the Pearson's correlation coefficient, while the figure in brackets corresponds to its statistical significance.

Serum levels of S100B protein may be used as a biological marker of positive psychopathology in paranoid schizophrenia.Acknowledgement

Psychiatric illnesses have a high prevalence in the general population. Psychiatric illnesses affect the way other medical processes develop: age of onset, distribution by gender, type an evolution, and the training of the psychiatrists in caring for them.

To describe the characteristics and the medical problems of patients who have been consulted by an Internal Medicine Liaison Unit while hospitalized in the Psychiatric Unit of a third level hospital. Comparison of the general profile of these patients and their consultations with that done to patients hospitalizad in the rest of the hospital.

Descriptive retrospective study from September 2007 to May 2010. Use of a centralized database created with of all the administrative and clinical details regarding the consultation. A p ≤ 0.05 has statistical significance.

648 patients were identified (40,7% men). Mean age 52.4 years. Mean stay 3 days. 34,4% were solved in one visit. Mortality rate 0,3%. 94,1% of discharges were due to recovery, the rest were transfered to another service.

Distribution by major diagnostic groups: infectious 16,2%, cardiorespiratory 15,4%, mental illness 12,9%, metabolic 10,4%, tumoral 8,5%, digestive 8,2%, not defined 8,2%, hematologic 5%, others 15,2%.

The psychiatric patient is clearly younger and the female gender is slightly higher (59,3%) than in the control group. In this group the infectious and cardiorespiratoty illnesses predominate. The percentage of psychiatric consultations (34,1%; 648) over our global (1906) is impressive since the number of psychiatric inpatients is not proportional to this number.

Recently, a renaissance of interest in ‘negative symptoms’ as emotional withdrawal or blunted affect, has occurred. Some investigators believe that these symptoms are important indicators of outcome, of response to treatment and of a distinct underlying pathologic process.

Research on the negative-symptom syndrome in schizophrenia has been handicapped until recently.

This research aims at studying whether acute phase proteins, precisely, Alpha1-glycoprotein, can be considered as a marker of negativesymptom in Schizophrenia.

29 chronic schizophrenics were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). A routine blood test including Alpha1-glycoprotein levels was carried out.

Alpha1-glycoprotein shows a positive correlation, according to Pearson correlation coefficient, with the Negative Scale at an almost significant level (p=.05), and at a significant level in the following items, Blunted affect (p=.03), Passive/apathetic Social Withdrawal (p=.01) of the Negative spectrum and Poor Attention (p=.02) of the General Psychopathology Scale.

There is a significant correlation with two Negative variables and an almost significant one, spite of the small sample, with the Negative Scale. Further studies with bigger samples are needed in order to consider alpha1-glycoprotein as a schizophrenia negative psychopathology marker.

Schizophrenia is a chronic disease characterized by disturbances of thought, perception, volition, affectivity and cognition. An imbalance of the oxidant-antioxidant system is one of the proposed etiological factors. There are controversies regarding the effect of antipsychotics on the oxidant-antioxidant balance.

The aim of this research is to study the serum levels of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in paranoid schizophrenia patients treated with typical and/or atypical antipsychotics.

The sample is comprised by 38 patients admitted to the psychiatric ward of the University Hospital of the Canary Islands. All patients met DSM-IV criteria for paranoid schizophrenia. Some patients were treated only with atypical antipsychotics (N=21) while others were treated with a combination of atypical and typical antipsychotics (N=17).

The next table shows the comparison of serum TAC levels at admission (TAC-A) and discharge (TAC-D) at 12:00 and 00:00 h.

Patients treated with a combination of typical and atypical antipsychotics present at discharge (12:00 hours) significantly higher levels of TAC than patients treated only with typical antipsychotics. The remaining comparisons did not elicit significant results.

The results point out the fact that a combination of typical and atypical antipsychotics is more helpful in reducing the deficits of the antioxidant system than treatments based only on typical antipsychotics.

Relationships between total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and psychopathology in schizophrenia is controversial. Different methodological approaches may be a bias factor.

The aim of this research is to analyze the relationship between psychopathology as individual items and psychopathology as syndromes with the serum TAC concentration in schizophrenic patients.

20 DSM-IV paranoid schizophrenic outpatients were recruited from the psychiatric outpatient's clinic of the University Hospital of the Canary Islands. the severity of schizophrenia symptoms was measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Blood samples were collected at 12:00 and 00:00 hours. Relationships between quantitative variables were assessed with the Pearson's correlation coefficient.

There was a significant correlation between the PANSS positive subscale and the nocturnal TAC levels (r=0.527, p< 0.02). the PANSS negative subscale was not correlated with TAC concentrations. Item by item scores of the positive and negative PANSS correlations with nocturnal and diurnal TAC levels revealed that only item 6 (suspicion) of the positive PANSS subscale was significantly correlated with the nocturnal TAC concentrations (r=0,491, p< 0.03). Only item 3 (poor contact) of the negative PANSS subscale was also significantly correlated with the nocturnal TAC concentrations (r=0,516, p< 0.02).

We strongly recommend analyzing not only global scores of psychopathology but individual items scores when researching on biological markers in schizophrenia.

This study was partly supported by a grant (PI: 08/115) of the Fundacion Canaria de Investigacion y Salud (FUNCIS).

None of the authors have conflict of interest to disclose.

The Total Antioxidant State (TAS), expressed as equivalent to the total antioxidant capacity of blood plasma. It is the cumulative ability to trap molecules, as H2O2 and free radicals such as RO, ROO, and O2.

Our aim is to describe the TAS levels in schizophrenic patients and to analyze if this marker has got a circadian rhythm. The only study in humans on this subject has carried out by Benot et al (1999) in healthy subjects, which has reported that there was a circadian rhythm of TAS, with a peak night at 01:00, which correlated directly with melatonin (MLT).

The sample was comprised by 43 paranoid schizophrenic inpatients.Blood samples were extracted by venipuncture at 12:00 and 24:00 hours. TAS levels were measured three times: at admission, discharge and three months after discharge. Clinical state was assessed by means of the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI). TAS serum levels were measured by ELISA techniques.

Our results show that there is statistical significance between 12:00 and 24:00 for the TAS at admission and three months control. This means that at both times, the income and control of the three months, the levels of midday TAS is significantly higher than the midnight TAS. However, these differences did not occur at discharge.Respect to CGI there are differences in clinical status, less high-control.

0,66 ± 0,1420,60 ± 0,158,p < 0,027.

0,64 ± 0,1530,63 ± 0,1350,740.

0,84 ± 0,100,0,76 ± 0,113p < 0,001.

4,37 ± 0,846,3,05 ± 0,754,3,37 ± 0,720.

3,70 ± 0,640,1,77 ± 0,895,2,23 ± 1,455.

Our results point to the fact that serum TAS may be considered as a possible marker of psychopathological descompensation worsening.

To test the hypothesis that cognitive impairment in older adults is associated with all-cause mortality risk and the risk increases when the degree of cognitive impairment augments; and then, if this association is confirmed, to report the population-attributable fraction (PAF) of mortality due to cognitive impairment.

A representative random community sample of individuals aged over 55 was interviewed, and 4557 subjects remaining alive at the end of the first year of follow-up were included in the analysis. Instruments used in the assessment included the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), the History and Aetiology Schedule (HAS) and the Geriatric Mental State (GMS)-AGECAT. For the standardised degree of cognitive impairment Perneczky et al's MMSE criteria were applied. Mortality information was obtained from the official population registry. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to test the association between MMSE degrees of cognitive impairment and mortality risk. We also estimated the PAF of mortality due to specific MMSE stages.

Cognitive impairment was associated with mortality risk, the risk increasing in parallel with the degree of cognitive impairment (Hazard ratio, HR: 1.18 in the ‘mild’ degree of impairment; HR: 1.29 in the ‘moderate’ degree; and HR: 2.08 in the ‘severe’ degree). The PAF of mortality due to severe cognitive impairment was 3.49%.

A gradient of increased mortality-risk associated with severity of cognitive impairment was observed. The results support the claim that routine assessment of cognitive function in older adults should be considered in clinical practice.