role of serum creatine phosphokinase levels in schizophrenia

ABSTRACT

Thirty [first episode] schizophrenics, thirty chronic schizophrenics and fifteen normal healthy controls were randomly selected for the study. The first episode schizophrenics had not received any medication especially neuroleptics during their illness, the chronic schizophrenics, were on a stable dose of neuroleptic raedication ant normal controls were free from any physical and mental illness. Schizophrenics were diagnosed according to Schneider's diagnostic criteria of first rank symptoms. Serum creative phosphokinase levels were 10.46, 7.73 and 4.2 Sigma units/ml in first episode schizophrer chronic schizophrenics and controls respectively. The levels were significantly raised in first episode schizophrenics, compared to controls [P<0.01]. While the difference between chronic schizophrenics with first episode and controls was not significant. In this study the CPK levels were raised above the normal range in 12 patients [40%] of first epi s schizophrenics and 7 patients, [23%] of chronic schizophrenics. These findings suggest that the schizophrenics in this part of the country show the same pattern of elevation as observed in the West. The interpretation of these findings remains to be explored