Relationship of selective complement markers with schizophrenia.

Immune system dysregulation may be involved in schizophrenia, but biomarker studies have thus far reported inconsistent findings. The relationship of plasma levels of complement markers C3 and C4, with schizophrenia, sociodemographic and clinico-psychological factors were here studied in 183 patients and 212 controls. C3 and C4 levels were significantly higher in the patients and in subjects with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), and positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.05). Schizophrenia, BMI, and CRP were significant predictors for C3 and C4 levels in multivariate analyses (p < 0.001). In conclusion, complements C3 and C4 are potential peripheral biomarkers in schizophrenia.