1 research outputs found
Evaluation of Plasma Electrolytes in Patients Suffering From Depressive Illness
There are speculations that electrolyte concentrations may play a role
in depressive illness but despite a number of studies, no agreement has
been reached about blood electrolyte status in depression. One hundred
subjects made up of sixty (60) depressed patients with mean age
(40.3±12.3) and forty (40) normal controls with mean age
(40.1±10.1) were recruited for this study. All patients were free
from medication for a period of one month prior to the start of the
study. Anthropometric indices of all subjects were also determined. The
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria
and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were used for diagnosis and
measurement of severity of depression respectively. The mean plasma
sodium (p<0.05) and potassium (p<0.01) were significantly
decreased in depressed patients when compared with corresponding normal
controls while the mean plasma calcium (p<0.05) and urea (p<0.01)
were significantly increased in depressed subjects in comparison to
normal controls. There were no significant differences in blood
parameters determined between male and female patients. Similarly, the
mean plasma concentrations of biochemical parameters did not
significantly change from mild through to severe depression
(p>0.05). The results from this study suggest that plasma
electrolyte levels could be altered in Nigerian Africans suffering from
depressive illness and this may not be gender specific