BACKGROUND: Previous preliminary reports have suggested potential interactions between microcytic anaemia and mood disorders. In particular, heterozygous beta-thalassaemia has been implicated in the bipolar spectrum. This study surveyed relevant haematological parameters in a large sample of psychiatric outpatients with the aim of clarifying previous observations. METHODS: Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) was analysed in 1014 consecutive patients diagnosed according to modified Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC). Haemoglobin electrophoresis and/or chromatography was performed in blood samples from 143 patients with reduced MCV. Prevalence of heterozygous beta-thalassaemia was estimated based on the rates of patients with reduced MCV and increased haemoglobin A2 concentration. RESULTS: MCV lower than 80 mu3 was found in greater proportions among bipolar compared with the remaining RDC subgroups (183/732 = 25.0% versus 51/282 = 18.1%; p = 0.02; relative risk = 1.38; Fisher's exact test). This difference can mainly be attributed to heterozygous beta-thalassaemia, the estimated prevalence of which was 16.4% among bipolar and 9.9% among non-bipolar subgroups (p = 0.01; relative risk = 1.65). CONCLUSION: The results are consistent with the hypothesis that heterozygous beta-thalassaemia might play a role as a susceptibility factor in bipolar spectrum disorders in specific populations.
HETEROZYGOUS BETA-THALASSAEMIA AS A SUSCEPTIBILITY FACTOR IN MOOD DISORDERS: EXCESSIVE PREVALENCE IN BIPOLAR PATIENTS / BOCCHETTA A. - 1:6(2005).
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Titolo: | HETEROZYGOUS BETA-THALASSAEMIA AS A SUSCEPTIBILITY FACTOR IN MOOD DISORDERS: EXCESSIVE PREVALENCE IN BIPOLAR PATIENTS |
Autori: | |
Data di pubblicazione: | 2005 |
Rivista: | |
Citazione: | HETEROZYGOUS BETA-THALASSAEMIA AS A SUSCEPTIBILITY FACTOR IN MOOD DISORDERS: EXCESSIVE PREVALENCE IN BIPOLAR PATIENTS / BOCCHETTA A. - 1:6(2005). |
Handle: | http://hdl.handle.net/11584/15643 |
Tipologia: | 1.1 Articolo in rivista |