Abstract
Rh-positive factor subjects are better protected against pathogenic environmental factors including impairment associated with latent infection of Toxoplasma gondii, aging and possibly also tiredness. Our study was focused on contribution of Rh factor to schizophrenia clinical picture modification.
In the population of 186 schizophrenia patients who attended day-treatment structured programme we investigated whether RhD phenotype has any clinical impact on clinical manifestation of schizophrenia patients who were tested for seropositivity to Toxoplasma infection. We found out that RhD phenotype was linked with significant impact on clinical presentation in schizophrenia patients especially in women.
RhD-negative women showed more severe positive symptoms of schizophrenia and more pronounced reality distorsion dimension in PANSS scale in comparison to RhD-positive women. The course of the illness was substantially less influenced by RhD phenotype in men.
Length of hospital stay measured by number of days was significantly increased in RhD-negative women and they were prescribed also higher doses of anti-psychotics. The effect of RhD phenotype was independent on similar, already described, effect of toxoplasma infection, as it was observed both in Toxoplasma-infected and Toxoplasma-free patients.
RhD-positive phenotype can be considered as a promising protective factor moderating clinical picture of schizophrenia