Platelet serotonin concentration in dialysis patients with somatic symptoms of depression

Platelet serotonin (5-HT) concentration was measured in 65 male and 45 fema le chronic renal patients on hemodialysis (HD) with different somatic sympt oms of depression (crying spells, irritability, sleep disturbance, fatigabi lity, loss of appetite, weight loss, somatic preoccupation and loss of libi do), to find out the relationship between the severity of symptoms and plat elet 5-HT concentration. Male and female patients had significantly lower p latelet 5-HT concentration than 62 male and 38 female healthy subjects. Gen der-differences in platelet 5-HT values observed in healthy subjects were n ot found in patients. Platelet 5-HT concentration differed in the groups of patients with the different scores of particular somatic symptoms (loss of appetite and loss of libido), but was similar in patients with other somat ic symptoms. There was no relationship between platelet 5-HT concentration and the severity of somatic symptoms , or between platelet 5-HT concentrati on and age of the patients. Gender-related differences in the occurrence of somatic symptoms were detected in patients with the different degrees of w eight loss, somatic preoccupation and loss of libido. Our results suggest t hat platelet 5-HT concentration could not be used as a biological marker fo r the severity of somatic symptoms in chronic renal patients on HD. (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science inc. All rights reserved.