Goteberg University and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found the Cytokine Array I biochip from Randox Laboratories to be useful in the screening and diagnostic assessment of stress
The Swedish study assessed 270 patients on long-term sick leave for stress-induced affective disorder (depression) and compared them to healthy individuals.
Blood samples were analysed for cytokines, hormones, growth factors and other biochemical parameters.
82% of the stress patients fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder.
The results were clinically significant and showed markedly increased levels of MCP-1, VEGF and EGF in the stressed subjects.
Levels of the markers were directly related to the degree of stress.
Cytokines are signalling compounds which communicate with one another via cell-surface receptors.
Due to their central role in the immune system, cytokines are involved in a variety of immunological, inflammatory, and infectious diseases.
Stress has become an everyday phenomenon.
Stress can lead to illness and it has been implicated in many conditions such as depression, heart disease and nervous breakdown.
Workplace stress is the fastest growing cause of absence from work and has huge economic implications, however, until now no reliable serum markers of pathological stress related conditions have been available.
Biochip array technology enables the simultaneous assessment of up to 12 cytokines from one patient sample using a single biochip.
Four Cytokine Arrays are currently available from Randox for the assessment of stress and other conditions.
