정신분열병 환자의 면역기능 이상(III)

The Abnormalities of Immune Function in Schizophrenics(III)

Until recent years, there have been a number of reports in immune function of schizophrenic patients. Unfortunately, we do not have a definitive conclusion in there studies and in addition, there are no long-term follow-up study in this patients. So we investigated that immune mechanisms might be altered in schizophrenic patients and what might be the causes of altered immunity. We presented 2 studies in this area previously. In present study, all patients(n= 14) met DSM-3-R criteria for schizophrenia, who are hospitalized at the Paik Hospital, Seoul, from January 1990 to May 1992. Seven patients were newly diagnosed schizophrenia who are never received any antipsychotics treatment. Of remaining patients, seven were psychotic relapsed patients who are at least 2 months discontinuation of neuroleptic drug medication. Finally 6 patients were drop out, 8 patients were included in this present study. We measured the number and percentage of the immune cells and its subsets 3 times in schizophrenic patients and normal controls(n= 14), which are determined by monoclonal antibody technique(Becon Dickinson Co). Assays were performed on a prior to drug treatment, 4-6 weeks after initiation of drug treatment and full remitted state for at least 6 months under the durg treatment. The conclusions were as following. First, the numbers of lymphocytes, T-cells and B-cells were significantly more but. percentage of T-cells were significantly less in schizophrenic patients than controls. These findings may reflect relative depression of cell mediated immunity(CMl) in schizophrenics. Second, our results suggested that there may be a correlation between symptom severity and the reduction in percentage of T-cells. But the number of T-cells may be not related to symptom severity. Over all, above mentioned depression of CMI may be related to other factors, such as antipsychotic medication, rather than the severity of illness. Third, there was no significant difference in CD4/CD8 ratio betwen the controls and schizophrenics. And this ratio was constant and not influenced by asntipsychotics and symptom severity in the schizophrenics. Fourth, the prevalence of immunologic disease in schizophrenics was not suspected to be more frequent than in the healthy, because there was no significant difference in CD4/CD8 ratio and no significant severe depression of immunity as immune deficiency diseases. Fifth, There was depressive effect of neuroleptics on immune function but it was not irreversi-ble.