TY - JOUR
T1 - C-reactive protein levels in schizophrenia
T2 - A review and meta-analysis
AU - Miller, Brian J.
AU - Culpepper, Nick
AU - Rapaport, Mark H.
PY - 2014/1
Y1 - 2014/1
N2 - There is an impression in the literature that schizophrenia is associated with increased inflammation, including abnormal blood levels of the acute phase reactant C-reactive protein (CRP). We performed a meta-analysis of blood CRP levels to estimate the overall effect size, as well as a pooled analysis of the prevalence of an elevated CRP level in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders. We identified articles by searching PubMed, PsycInfo, and ISI, and the reference lists of identified studies. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis, and five studies were included in the pooled analysis. CRP levels were significantly increased in patients compared to controls (effect size=0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.34-0.55, p<0.001). There was a 28% prevalence of an elevated CRP level in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders. Our results support a growing body of literature that schizophrenia is associated with increased inflammation, although many studies did not control for potential confounding factors such as BMI and smoking. Given the high prevalence of elevated CRP, metabolic syndrome, and premature cardiovascular mortality, our findings also suggest that measurement of blood CRP levels may be germane to the clinical care of patients with schizophrenia and related disorders.
AB - There is an impression in the literature that schizophrenia is associated with increased inflammation, including abnormal blood levels of the acute phase reactant C-reactive protein (CRP). We performed a meta-analysis of blood CRP levels to estimate the overall effect size, as well as a pooled analysis of the prevalence of an elevated CRP level in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders. We identified articles by searching PubMed, PsycInfo, and ISI, and the reference lists of identified studies. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis, and five studies were included in the pooled analysis. CRP levels were significantly increased in patients compared to controls (effect size=0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.34-0.55, p<0.001). There was a 28% prevalence of an elevated CRP level in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders. Our results support a growing body of literature that schizophrenia is associated with increased inflammation, although many studies did not control for potential confounding factors such as BMI and smoking. Given the high prevalence of elevated CRP, metabolic syndrome, and premature cardiovascular mortality, our findings also suggest that measurement of blood CRP levels may be germane to the clinical care of patients with schizophrenia and related disorders.
KW - CRP
KW - Meta-Analysis
KW - Schizophrenia
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U2 - 10.3371/CSRP.MICU.020813
DO - 10.3371/CSRP.MICU.020813
M3 - Review article
C2 - 23428789
AN - SCOPUS:84892623490
SN - 1935-1232
VL - 7
SP - 223
EP - 230
JO - Clinical Schizophrenia and Related Psychoses
JF - Clinical Schizophrenia and Related Psychoses
IS - 4
ER -