Increased serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in the first episode but not in subsequent episodes in male patients with schizophrenia

Figures & data

Table 1 Clinical characteristics of participants

	FES (n=32)	DFP (n=28)	HC (n=24)	Statistic
Age (years)	25.24±5.65	28.92±4.81	26.67±5.19	F=3.58, P=0.033
				FES and DFP: P=0.02
				FES and HC: P=0.96
				DFP and HC: P=0.37
Smoking
Yes	29 (87.5%)	19 (67.9%)	15 (62.5%)	χ^2=12.82, P=0.08
No	3 (12.5%)	9 (32.1%)	9 (37.5%)
SANS	30.96±7.05	35.10±7.14		t=−2.25, P=0.02
SAPS	31.43±5.18	33.78±6.01		t=−1.62, P=0.10
Duration of treatment (years)	–	5.78±3.12	–	–

Abbreviations: DFP, drug-free patients; FES, first-episode schizophrenia; HC, healthy controls; SANS, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms; SAPS, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms.

Table 2 Comparisons of serum ACTH, cortisol, testosterone, progesterone, and DHEA-S levels between groups

	FES (n=32)	DFP (n=28)	HC (n=24)	Statistic
Cortisol (μg/dL)	9.73±3.59	10.08±3.31	10.34±3.65	F=0.87, P=0.91
Progesterone (ng/mL)	1.71±0.41	1.62±0.33	1.10±0.66	F=0.78, P=0.46
DHEA-S (μg/dL)	330.68±78.87	132.87±44.97	179.81±52.82	F=29.13, P<0.001 FES and DFP: P<0.001 FES and HC: P<0.001 DFP and HC: P=0.33
ACTH (pg/mL)	15.01±8.49	17.97±7.67	14.65±9.08	F=1.29, P=0.28
Testosterone (pg/mL)	14.57±6.49	11.15±6.93	9.74±4.71	F=2.14, P=0.13

Abbreviations: ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone; DFP, drug-free patients; DHEA-S, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate; FES, first-episode schizophrenia; HC, healthy controls.

Table 3 Correlation coefficients between scores of SAPS, SANS, and DT, and levels of serum ACTH, cortisol, testosterone, progesterone, and DHEA-S in the FES group

	Cortisol	Progesterone	DHEA-S	ACTH	Testosterone
Age	−0.523**	0.103	0.004	−0.013	−0.002
SANS	−0.104	−0.166	−0.546**	0.352*	0.189
SAPS	−0.353**	0.048	−0.295	0.135	−0.620**

Notes:

** P<0.001

* P<0.05.

Abbreviations: ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone; DFP, drug-free patients; DHEA-S, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate; DT, duration of treatment; FES, first-episode schizophrenia; HC, healthy controls; SANS, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms; SAPS, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms.

Table 4 Correlation coefficients between scores of SAPS, SANS, and DT, and levels of serum ACTH, cortisol, testosterone, progesterone, and DHEA-S in the DFP group

	Cortisol	Progesterone	DHEA-S	ACTH	Testosterone
Age	0.072	−0.039	−0.145	−0.426*	0.561**
SANS	0.428*	−0.310	−0.081	0.490**	0.188
SAPS	−0.415**	−0.017	−0.465**	0.122	−0.036
DT	0.052	−0.011	−0.390*	−0.560**	0.673**

Notes:

** P<0.001

* P<0.05.

Abbreviations: ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone; DFP, drug-free patients; DHEA-S, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate; DT, duration of treatment; FES, first-episode schizophrenia; HC, healthy controls; SANS, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms; SAPS, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms.