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Proinflammatory cytokine levels in patients with conversion disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2013

Utkan Tiyekli ,
Okan Çalıyurt  and
Nimet Dilek Tiyekli
Utkan Tiyekli*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Trakya University Hospital, Edirne, Turkey; Department of Psychiatry, Oltu State Hospital, Oltu, Erzurum, Turkey;
Okan Çalıyurt
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Trakya University Hospital, Edirne, Turkey;
Nimet Dilek Tiyekli
Affiliation:
Department of Immunology, Trakya University Hospital, Edirne, Turkey
*
Department of Psychiatry, Oltu State Hospital, postal code 25400, Oltu, Erzurum, Turkey. Tel: +90 530 2921575; Fax: +90 442 8165258; E‐mail: utkaninadresi@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Objective

It was aimed to evaluate the relationship between proinflammatory cytokine levels and conversion disorder both commonly known as stress regulated.

Method

Baseline proinflammatory cytokine levels–[Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), Interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β), Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6)]–were evaluated with enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in 35 conversion disorder patients and 30 healthy controls. Possible changes in proinflammatory cytokine levels were evaluated again, after their acute phase in conversion disorder patients.

Results

Statistically significant decreased serum TNF‐α levels were obtained in acute phase of conversion disorder. Those levels increased after acute conversion phase. There were no statistically significant difference observed between groups in serum IL‐1β and (IL‐6) levels.

Conclusions

Stress associated with conversion disorder may suppress immune function in acute conversion phase and may have diagnostic and therapeutic value.

Keywords

conversion disordercytokineinterleukin‐1 betainterleukin‐6tumour necrosis factor alpha

Information

Type
Original Articles
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , June 2013 , pp. 137 - 143
Copyright
Copyright © Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2013 

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Footnotes

†

All authors have contributed equally to the manuscript.

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