Study of Urine Organic Sulfate Changes in Schizophrenia by Colorimetry

authors:

avatar Abbas Masoudzade 1 , * , avatar Jamshid Izadi 2 , avatar Mohammadreza Mahdavi 3 , avatar Mehran Zarghami 4 , avatar Javad Setare 4 , avatar Mahdi Pourasghar 4

Professor of psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Department of Biochemistry, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Faculty of Para-medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
Department of Psychiatry and Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences: Vol.4, issue 1; 13-17
published online: June 30, 2010
article type: Original Article
received: August 28, 2009
accepted: February 01, 2010

how to cite: Masoudzade A, Izadi J, Mahdavi M, Zarghami M, Setare J, et al. Study of Urine Organic Sulfate Changes in Schizophrenia by Colorimetry. Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2010;4(1): 13-17. 

Abstract

Objective: Finding a suitable laboratory test that can diagnose schizophrenia in its early stages could be very important. According to the hypothesis of lack of noradrenalin balance in the brain, it is illustrated that the disorder severity has a negative correlation with the amount of urine noradrenalin metabolite [3-methoxy-4- hydroxy phenyl glycol (MHPG) sulfate]. In this research, instead of measuring 24-hour urine MHPG sulfate level by standard expensive HPLC method, 24-hour urine organic sulfate mixtures were measured and compared between schizophrenic patients and control group by colorimetry.
Methods: Forty schizophrenic patients (20 males and 20 females) diagnosed by two psychiatrists according to DSM-IV-TR criteria and 40 controls (20 females and 20 males) with nearly the same diet and physical activity levels were included. After primary laboratory tests and ruling out general medical conditions in both groups, all medications in schizophrenic patients were tapered. For all subjects, 24-hour urine samples were collected and organic sulfate was measured by colorimetry method.
Results: Mean 24-hour urine organic sulfate in case and control groups were 0.465 ± 0.03 and 0.475 ± 0.04, respectively (p= 0.219). Mean 24-hour urine organic sulfate in case females was 0.46 ± 0.028 g/dl. In control females, this amount was 0.47 ± 0.044 g/dl (p= 0.393). Mean 24-hour urine organic sulfate in case males was 0.47 ± 0.031 g/dl. In control group, it was 0.48 ± 0.039 g/dl (p= 0.382).
Conclusion: Measuring organic sulfate by colorimetry method cannot help to distinguish schizophrenic patients from normal individuals.

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References

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