Objective: To compare the levels of galectin 3 in the serum and saliva of patients with schizophrenia and normal subjects.
Study design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of the Study: Physiology Department and Multifunctional Research Lab of Islamic International Medical College, in association with the Institute of Psychiatry Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, from September 2022 to May 2023.
Methodology: There were 60 subjects in this study which included 30 Schizophrenia patients and 30 age and gender aligned healthy subjects. Clinically diagnosed patients of schizophrenia as per standards of diagnoses given in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition) were included. Unstimulated whole-mouth saliva was collected through the spitting method from the study subjects. Tetra acetic acid (EDTA) tubes were used to collect blood samples and to measure the association of galectin-3 between saliva and serum of schizophrenia patients. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed. Independent samples t-test and Pearson correlation were implemented.
Results: Mean salivary galectin 3 level were far more significant in schizophrenia patients as opposed to their healthy subjects having CI 95% (641.51 and 822.45, p-value <0.001). A positive association was observed between salivary and serum levels of galectin 3 in schizophrenia patients (p = 0.03).
Conclusion: Galectin 3 levels are raised in the saliva of schizophrenia patients and these levels are positively correlated with levels of galectin 3 in the serum of schizophrenia patients. Galectin 3 levels in the saliva can be an effective indicator in diagnostic confirmation of clinically suspected schizophrenia patients.
Key words: Galectin 3, Schizophrenia, Saliva, Serum level, Inflammation.