Elevated Levels of Visfatin and Fetuin-A in Patients with Major Mental Disorders

Abstract

A number of cytokines are involved in the regulation of metabolic pathways. The involvement of these metabokines in the pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunction associated with major mental disorders (MMD) is presently poorly understood. This study therefore, determined the plasma levels of glucose, fetuin-A and visfatin and their inter-relationship in patients with MMD. Ninety adults consisting of 65 patients with MMD and 25 apparently healthy individuals (controls) were enrolled into this study. After an overnight fast, plasma levels of glucose, visfatin and fetuin-A were determined using the glucose-oxidase method and ELISA as appropriate. Statistical analysis was done using Kruskal Wallis, independent Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U and Spearman’s correlation as appropriate. P-values less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Patients with MMD had significantly higher levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), visfatin and fetuin-A compared with the controls. Fetuin-A had a significant positive correlation with visfatin and FPG in patients with MMD. Comparing the subgroups of MMD with one another, patients with schizophrenia had a significantly higher level of visfatin compared with patients with depression. The plasma levels of fetuin-A were significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar compared with patients with depression. It could be concluded from this study that Patients with MMD especially, those with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have elevated levels of fetuin-A and visfatin suggesting a possible role in the pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunction associated with major mental disorders.