Two clusters of serum midkine levels in drug-naive patients with schizophrenia

Neurosci Lett. 2003 Jun 26;344(2):95-8. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(03)00443-9.

Abstract

Midkine (MK) is a heparin-binding growth factor implicated in various biological phenomena such as development of the hippocampus and anxiety. We evaluated serum MK levels of drug-naive (n=15) and medicated (n=25) patients with schizophrenia, and age- and sex-matched normal controls (n=38). The patients showed two clusters in the levels. Four drug-naive patients (26.7%) and two medicated patients (8.0%) had abnormally high values, but no controls did, there being a significant difference in the numbers (P=0.003, Fisher's exact test). Furthermore, in other patients, the mean MK levels in drug-naive schizophrenia (0.30+/-0.10 ng/ml) were significantly (P=0.018, Fisher's protected least significant difference test) decreased than those in the controls (0.40+/-0.12 ng/ml). These suggest that there are two clusters of serum MK abnormalities in drug-naive patients with schizophrenia.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Carrier Proteins / blood*
  • Cytokines / blood*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Midkine
  • Schizophrenia / blood*
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytokines
  • Midkine