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Difference in pre- and post-treatment plasma DHEA levels were significantly and positively correlated with difference in pre- and post-treatment Hamilton depression scores following successful therapy for major depression

Psychoneuroendocrinology, ISSN: 0306-4530, Vol: 31, Issue: 7, Page: 839-846
2006
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Article Description

Clinical studies of endogenous concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its relation to depression are limited. This study examined whether pre- and post-treatment changes in plasma DHEA levels are correlated with pre- and post-treatment differences in Hamilton depression scores following successful antidepressant therapy for major depression with venlafaxine XR. Thirty-four medication-free major depressive outpatients (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression 17, HAM-D 17 score≥17) were treated with antidepressants. At baseline, plasma DHEA levels of all subjects were measured but only those who remitted (HAM-D 17 score≤7) before the end of this study had their plasma DHEA levels measured at remission-onset. Blood from subjects was drawn at 0900–1100 h. Depression severity was assessed with the HAM-D 17 scale at baseline, and on day 7, 14, 28, 56 and 84. Subjects were administered at minimum 75 mg/day venlafaxine XR until remission onset. Fifteen patients remitted before the end of this study. Plasma DHEA levels decreased from baseline to remission was significant ( P =0.017). After controlling for age and gender, pre- and post-treatment difference in Hamilton depression scores and the pre- and post-treatment difference in DHEA concentrations were significantly correlated ( P =0.044). This preliminary study provides the first clinical evidence identifying that difference in pre- and post-treatment plasma DHEA levels were significantly and positively correlated with difference in pre- and post-treatment Hamilton depression scores following successful therapy with venlafaxine XR for major depression in remitters; but non-remitters were not examined. It is not known if DHEA levels would show similar or dissimilar changes in non-remitters.

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