Cytokine level in patients with mood disorder, alcohol use disorder and their comorbidity

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographics and clinical characteristics of the study population.

Indicators	MD (n = 43)	AUD (n = 42)	AUD + MD (n = 44)	Healthy controls (n = 50)	p Value
Age, Me (Q1; Q3) years	51 (36; 58)	44.5 (39.75; 54)	45 (37.25; 49)	42 (35; 52.25)	0.192 (Kruskal-Wallis test)
Gender (Male, n (%) / Female, n (%))	11 (25.6%) / 32 (74.4%)	34 (81%) / 8 (19%)	29 (65.9%) / 15 (34.1%)	20 (40%) / 30 (60%)	0.0001 (Kruskal-Wallis test)
Duration of disease, Me (Q1; Q3) years
MD	4 (2; 9.5)	–	5.0 (2.0; 12.0)	–	0.507 (Mann-Whitney test)
AUD	–	17.0 (10.0; 24.0)	13.0 (8; 20.0)	–	0.144 (Mann-Whitney test)
Severity of Symptoms
HAMD-17	23 (18; 26)	–	20 (17.25; 26)	–	0.300 (Mann–Whitney test)
HARS	20 (13; 27)	–	20 (17; 26.5)	–	0.855 (Mann–Whitney test)
AUDIT	–	25 (18.75; 32)	27 (20; 29.75)	–	0.822 (Mann–Whitney test)
OCDS	–	34.5 (23; 45.25)	33.5 (22.25; 41)	–	0.424 (Mann–Whitney test)
SHAPS	1 (0; 4)	1 (0; 3)	2 (0; 3.5)	–	0.471 (Kruskal–Wallis test)
SASS	33 (28; 37)	36.5 (34; 40.75)	34 (29.75; 38.5)	–	0.061 (Kruskal–Wallis test)

In bold: significant difference, p-value <0.05

Me (Q1; Q3): median (lower quartile; upper quartile)

MD: mood disorder; AUD: alcohol use disorder; HAMD-17: 17 item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; HARS: Hamilton Anxiety Scale; AUDIT: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption; OCDS: Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale; SHAPS: Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale; SASS: Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale

Table 2. Nosological structure of MD in the study groups.

Diagnosis (ICD-10)	MD (n = 42)	AUD + MD (n = 44)
Bipolar Affective Disorder (F31)	2.3% (n = 1)	18.2% (n = 8)
Depressive Episode (F32)	46.5% (n = 20)*	18.2% (n = 8)
Recurrent Depressive Disorder (F33)	32.6% (n = 14)	27.3% (n = 12)
Dysthymia (F34.1)	18.6% (n = 8)	36.4% (n = 16)*

Note: In the case of dysthymia, only the current symptomatology was considered regardless of the duration of its existence. *p = 0.043 (chi-square test)

Table 3. The cytokine levels in study population.

Indicators	MD (n = 43)	AUD (n = 42)	AUD + MD (n = 44)	Healthy controls (n = 50)	p Value (Kruskal-Wallis test)
Pro-inflammatory cytokines
IFN-2α	63.24 (38.93–99.17) p = 0.0001	98.42 (57.92–144) p = 0.0001	73.62 (30.39–148.57) p = 0.0001	23.70 (17.00–38.77)	0.0001
IFN-γ	11.08 (4.46–24.74)	12.87 (6.79–20.48)	13.73 (5.59–19.54)	9.47 (7.37–13.56)	0.727
IL-1α	114.92 (39.27–410.06)	73.79 (36.9–102.96)	81.56 (34.36–143.18)	58.79 (50.45–70.24)	0.183
IL-1β	1.45 (0.51-2.03) p = 0.017	2.91 (1.2–4.47)	1.22 (0.55–3.97)	2.46 (1.44–3.12)	0.022
IL-2	4.18 (2.79–6.58)	10.98 (5.25–15.25) p = 0.016	1.46 (0.56–13.06)	5.15 (4.28–7.82)	0.001
IL-6	43.81 (9.35–121.2) p = 0.004	7.58 (3.7–26.65)	4.81 (2.08–8.12)	5.18 (3.80–7.89)	0.001
IL-7	27.70 (20.14–46.7) p = 0.0001	32.75 (29.22–41.36) p = 0.0001	11.88 (9.31–31.97)	11.69 (9.03–17.18)	0.0001
IL-8	10.51 (5.98–24.25)	22.86 (15.46–42.44) p = 0.0001	19.06 (7.98–38.52) p = 0.012	10.32 (5.65–18.48)	0.0001
IL-12p40	17.18 (5.56–54.58)	24.16 (11.49–43.32) p = 0.004	28.87 (18.99–45.25)	42.10 (26.87–46.06)	0.007
IL-17A	4.02 (2.1–9.91)	6.21 (2.17–8.72)	5.82 (2.41–8.55)	4.61 (3.43–7.48)	0.952
TNFα	5.9 (3.78-8.4) p = 0.0001	14.04 (10.29–20.48)	12.60 (8.57–19.59)	15.13 (8.41–20.63)	0.0001
Anti-inflammatory cytokines
IL-1RA	12.31 (6.6–17.5) p = 0.0001	19.47 (10.87–40.14) p = 0.008	16.35 (11.15–29.26) p = 0.0001	41.86 (32.26–53.87)	0.000
IL-4	80.95 (34.62–129.28)	178.34 (119.09–304.94) p = 0.0001	103.03 (21.88–323.81)	86.31 (65.23–105.63)	0.000
IL-10	2.55 (1.21–3.24) p = 0.001	7.51 (2.59–11.11)	5.26 (1.66–10.74) p = 0.019	6.46 (3.96–8.31)	0.003
IL-13	26.79 (9.13–122.74)	19.04 (9.52–32.78)	10.21 (2.16–22.05)	13.30 (9.77–17.47)	0.010

In bold within group columns: significant p-value of comparison with healthy control group (Mann–Whitney U-test with Bonferroni correction)

Figure 1. Serum Cytokine Levels in patients with MD and comorbidity MD + AUD. Mann–Whitney U-test with Bonferroni correction.

Figure 2. Serum Cytokine Levels in patients with AUD and comorbidity MD + AUD. Mann–Whitney U-test with Bonferroni correction.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated for this study will not be made publicly available, but they are available on reasonable request to Svetlana A. Ivanova ([email protected]), following approval of the Board of Directors of the MHRI, in line with local guidelines and regulations.