The thyrotropin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone as a predictor of response to treatment in depressed outpatients.
We evaluated the predictive value of the thyrotropin (TSH) response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in 32 depressed outpatients completing a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of s-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAMe), which failed to show any significant difference between SAMe and placebo. Treatment response was defined as the change in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-24) score between baseline and the end of the six-week trial. Subjects with TSH response outside the normal range (7-25 uU/ml) had a significantly greater response than patients with a normal response. There was also a significant correlation between absolute deviations from the mean TSH response (16 uU/ml) and changes in HRSD-24 scores.
Fava
M
M
Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
Rosenbaum
J F
JF
Birnbaum
R
R
Kelly
K
K
Otto
M W
MW
MacLaughlin
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010919:Placebos; D012701:Serotonin; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine; D013972:Thyrotropin