Doctors could for the first time determine which drugs would be most likely to help a patient overcome the depression through a blood test, according to the results of a study published in the medical journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
This blood test measures the level of C-reactive proteins (CRP), and provides an instant tool for physicians who until now relied on questionnaires given to patients to choose treatment. This test helps to identify which antidepressant treatment is able to improve symptoms.
Researchers at Southwestern Medical Center in the United States conducted a study with 100 patients who were treated with two types of antidepressants:escitalopramand the bupropion. The first regulates a neurotransmitter essential for nervous balance in the brain, serotonin. The second, bupropion, inhibits the reuptake of serotonin and two other neurotransmitters: norepinephrine and dopamine.
The study found that patients who had a CRP level below 1 milligram per liter were more sensitive to escitalopram, with a remission rate of 57%, compared to less than 30% for the other treatment.
For people with depression who showed higher CRP levels, the combination of the two treatments was more effective with a remission rate of 51% compared to 33% for taking escitalopram alone.
“These results provide evidence that a bioassay can immediately be used in clinical practice,” said Dr. Trivedi, director of the Depression Center, Southwestern Medical Center.
Depression too infrequently taken care of
The depression concerns 121 million people worldwide and 5 to 15% of the French population would be affected by a depressive episode during the year, says the Ministry of Health. While this disease can be diagnosed by a general practitioner, less than a quarter of patients are treated in France. “25% of people therefore do not have access to treatment with antidepressants or short and structured psychotherapies,” explains the France depression association.
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