Correlation between Interleukin-6 Levels and Total PANSS Scores in Batak People with Schizophrenia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is an illness characterized by distorted thoughts, hallucinations, and reduced ability to feel normal emotions, and this has been linked to immunity, environment, and heredity factors. The particular interest in this context is the stimulating effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines on dopamine, noradrenaline synthesis, and release. AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between interleukin (IL)-6 levels and total PANSS scores in people with schizophrenia from the Batak tribe. METHODS: This study was a numeric-numeric correlation analytic study. The research subjects were 47 inpatients (n = 47) at Prof. M. Ildrem Mental Hospital Medan, Indonesia, who were diagnosed based on the criteria of the international classification of disease-10 in the acute phase of treatment aged 15–45 years. IL-6 levels were obtained from blood serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analysis used the statistical package for the social science software. RESULTS: The study found that there was a positive correlation between IL-6 levels and total PANSS scores in Batak people with schizophrenia (p = 0.001; r = 0.657); IL-6 levels and positive symptom (p = 0.001; r = 0.696); and IL-6 levels and negative symptom (p = 0.001; r = 0.532). However, there was no correlation between IL-6 levels and general psychopathological scores in Batak people with schizophrenia. CONCLUSION: There was a correlation between IL-6 levels and the total PANSS score, positive symptom scores, and negative symptom scores in people with schizophrenia from the Batak tribe.