# Exploring the Sensitivity of Peripheral ADA Levels Measurement in Establishing Psychosis Susceptibility

## TL;DR

This study explores how measuring adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels in the blood can help identify people at risk for psychosis, particularly schizophrenia.

## Contribution

The study is the first to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of peripheral ADA levels in predicting psychosis susceptibility.

## Key findings

- Healthy controls had significantly higher serum ADA levels than schizophrenia patients and their relatives.
- Serum ADA levels predicted psychosis risk with 62.2% accuracy and 82% sensitivity.
- ADA levels can help distinguish genetically high-risk individuals from low-risk ones.

## Abstract

Studies on the relationship between the adenosinergic system and schizophrenia have been released, but none has explored the relationship between adenosine deaminase and psychosis risk. Our primary objective is to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of peripheral adenosine deaminase enzyme levels regarding susceptibility to psychosis. In this cross-sectional case–control study, the serum levels of adenosine deaminase were compared among patients with schizophrenia, first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients, and healthy controls. The patient and relative groups were classified as high-risk groups and healthy controls as low-risk groups. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine whether serum ADA levels can distinguish the low-risk group from the high-risk group. Healthy controls had higher serum ADA levels than the patient and relative groups (p = 0.019; p = 0.027). There was no statistically significant difference between patients and relatives (p = 0.998). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that serum ADA levels were 62.2% accurate in predicting psychosis risk, with a sensitivity of 82%. The results showed that serum ADA levels were significantly different between individuals at relatively low genetic risk (healthy controls) for schizophrenia and those at relatively high genetic risk (patients and relatives). According to the risk model based on serum ADA level, measuring serum ADA level may help distinguish genetically high-risk individuals from genetically low-risk individuals.