Ezzaher_2012_Ann.Biol.Clin.(Paris)_70_25

This study aims to investigate the variation of pseudocholinesterase activity (BuChE) in bipolar patients and to explore its relation to the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of this disease. Our study included 105 patients with bipolar disorder and 100 control subjects aged 38.7 +/- 12.2 and 36.4 +/- 15.7 y, respectively. BuChE was determined by kinetic methods on Cobas Integra 400 plus. Compared with controls, patients had a significantly higher pseudocholinesterase activity. Moreover, this increase was significantly associated (p = 0.001) with bipolar disorder with sensibility of 58% and specificity of 62% at threshold of 7392 IU/L. There was no significant change in pseudocholinesterase activity in relation to illness episodes and treatment, whereas the lowest values of this activity were seen in euthymic patients and those taking psychotics. Therefore, this activity is a real interest in the biological monitoring of patients as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases associated with bipolar disorder. But it would be most useful to evaluate their interest as a predictor of bipolar disorder in patients at risk.