Data Entry: Please note that the research database will be replaced by UNIverse by the end of October 2023. Please enter your data into the system https://universe-intern.unibas.ch. Thanks
Cytokine serum levels remain unchanged during lithium augmentation of antidepressants in major depression
Journal
Journal of psychiatric research
Volume
96
Pages / Article-Number
203-208
Mesh terms
Age Factors; Antidepressive Agents, therapeutic use; Body Mass Index; Cytokines, blood; Depressive Disorder, Major, blood, drug therapy; Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant, blood, drug therapy; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Linear Models; Lithium Compounds, therapeutic use; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Factors; Treatment Outcome
Abstract
Lithium augmentation (LA) of antidepressants is a first-line therapy in treatment-resistant depression. Immunomodulatory effects of lithium have been described. The cytokine hypothesis of depression postulates that cytokines play a key role in the pathophysiology of depression. Concordantly, it has been shown that proinflammatory cytokine serum levels decrease during antidepressant treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in cytokine serum levels during LA. Serum concentrations of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor alpha, interferon-gamma, granulocyte and monocyte colony stimulating factor were measured in a total of 95 acutely depressed patients before and after four weeks of LA. Changes in cytokine levels were corrected for the confounding factors severity of depression, treatment response, lithium serum level, gender, age and body mass index in a linear mixed-model analysis. We did not find a significant change in any of the measured cytokine serum levels during LA (p > 0.05). In conclusion, our study does not support the role of cytokine serum levels as a state marker in treatment of depression with LA.
